From compact homes to innovative housing concepts, Nelson architect William Samuels thrives on challenging convention.
For William Samuels, architecture is less about developing a recognisable style than cultivating a way of thinking. His work is driven by enquiry — testing ideas, questioning convention and looking for opportunities where others might see constraints. The result is a growing body of residential projects that are measured rather than showy. They are quietly inventive too.
“What interests me most is exploring ideas that are new and untested,” he says. “Or, by taking a different approach to a common design problem.”
The award-winning Studio House, designed by William Samuels, stands out for its unusual use of materials and details, and its exploration of small and efficient living. It’s also the architect’s own home.
That instinct was honed over more than a decade in Melbourne, where William worked for Kerstin Thompson Architects, one of Australia’s leading practices. Originally from Nelson, he studied architecture in Wellington before crossing the Tasman in 2011. During his tenure at the practice he led several award-winning projects, including Albury House, recipient of Australia’s 2020 Robin Boyd Award, the country’s highest honour for a new house. Beyond technical expertise, it was there that he developed an approach that continues to define his own work. “I learned a great deal from Kerstin, both about the practicalities of architecture and about developing a personal design philosophy.” Returning to Nelson to establish William Samuels Architects was less about changing direction than refining it.
Experimentation sits at the centre of the practice. Rather than arriving with predetermined answers, William treats each commission as an opportunity to explore different forms, “Experimentation is an important part of our process,” he says. “It allows us to investigate different building forms, details, materials and concepts.”
That philosophy is perhaps most clearly expressed in Studio House, the first completed project by the practice and the home William built with his wife in Nelson. Compact in scale, it was an opportunity to test ideas that would have been difficult to pursue with a conventional client. It also went on to win the Small Project Architecture prize in the NZIA Awards in 2023.
“The Studio House explored questions around home ownership, small and efficient living, while allowing us to experiment with unusual details and materials,” William says. “Because it was our home, we had the freedom to explore concepts in a way that’s not always possible.” The project also established another consistent thread through his work: an affinity for natural materials used with minimal intervention. “For most projects we don’t use paint or applied finishes,” William says. “Materials such as timber, concrete and fabric already possess richness and character.” Studio House contains almost no applied surface treatments.
Timber is simply sealed, while the remaining materials are left to speak for themselves. “Using materials this way feels more honest,” he says. “The imperfections and natural variation become part of the architecture rather than something to conceal.” That restraint reflects a broader interest in longevity over novelty. Rather than relying on decorative gestures, William prefers spaces whose quality emerges through proportion, light and material.
Renders shows the architecture firm’s latest initiative, Homie, which brings bespoke design to New Zealand's evolving granny flat legislation
The practice’s latest initiative, Homie, applies the same thinking to housing accessibility. The concept offers architect-designed homes that are fully resolved and documented before construction begins, allowing homeowners to licence the plans rather than commission an entirely bespoke design.
“The hard work has already been done,” William explains. “Homeowners and builders can access high-quality architectural documentation at a fraction of the time and cost.” Designed to align with New Zealand’s evolving granny flat legislation, the homes aim to make considered architecture available to a wider audience. Additional designs from other award-winning architects are already being developed.
Despite his appetite for experimentation, William is careful to distinguish innovation from novelty. Creative ambition, he argues, only succeeds when it aligns with the client’s priorities. “We enjoy pushing boundaries, but it always has to be in keeping with the client’s brief and budget.” In practice, involving clients in the design process often encourages them to embrace ideas they may not initially have considered. “If they become part of the creative process, they become more engaged with the outcome.” Economic conditions have also altered the conversation around residential architecture. Rising construction costs have shifted attention away from size and specification towards efficiency and adaptability. “Clients are increasingly asking for smaller, simpler homes that make clever use of space,” William says. “The focus is on getting the big moves right rather than spending heavily on expensive finishes or detailing.” It is a shift that aligns naturally with his own priorities. “We’ve always favoured spatial efficiency and carefully considered design over bells and whistles.”
When beginning a commission, William asks clients a question that extends beyond bedrooms, bathrooms or floor area: “How do you want to live, and what do you value most?” The answer might be connection to landscape, natural light, entertaining family or simply finding somewhere quiet to read. Identifying those priorities, he believes, creates a framework for every subsequent design decision. He also encourages clients to think beyond immediate needs. “I strongly believe buildings should be flexible and adapt as people’s lives change, rather than being something static that’s built once and never evolves.” It is a quietly pragmatic philosophy — one that values curiosity over signature style, and sees good architecture not as an object, but as an ongoing response to how people choose to live.
ON MY RADAR...
Therme Vals by Peter Zumthor, Vals, Switzerland. My wife and I visited in 2018. It is an incredible space that plays with light, darkness, mass and detail. The building houses a series of naturally heated thermal pools which are arranged among massive quartzite walls, creating dark, canyon-like spaces to explore and enjoy.
Melbourne architect Sean Godsell. I have always loved his work. He has his own unique design language and approach, which can be seen throughout his buildings. There is a rigour and clarity in his work, yet it is always of a human scale and approachable.
Mies van der Rohe, The Art of Structure by Werner Blaser. This book looks at some of Mies van der Rohe’s designs and focuses on the structural and construction details for each. You can see the design approach for a major building expressed in the tiniest details, such as the window details.
My Architect is a documentary about American architect Louis Kahn, filmed by his son. Not only is it brilliantly made, but Louis Kahn is among my favourite architects and this shows his buildings in a new and intimate light.
