the critics

Stuart Houghton
Urban Designer, Associate Partner Boffa Miskell
Stuart is a qualified urban designer and registered NZILA landscape architect with more than fourteen years’ experience in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He has a breadth of experience in urban design and landscape architecture, for sites at a range of scales and for clients in both the public and private sector. His design work includes preparing urban design frameworks, structure plans, and site master plans as well as strategic and conceptual design proposals for streets and public spaces.
As an urban designer Stuart has proven experience of working collaboratively as part of multi-disciplinary teams on complex urban development, infrastructure and public realm projects. He brings to each commission an open and inquiring mind, clear strategic design thinking and robust and considered analysis of issues and opportunities.
In addition to his design expertise Stuart has strong written communication and presentation skills that have enabled him to gain considerable experience in the areas of urban and landscape planning, including strategy and policy, design guidance, urban design and landscape assessment, and presentation of expert evidence at council hearings for plan changes and resource consents. In 2014 Stuart was appointed to a term on the Auckland Urban Design Panel that provides design review to large scale, complex and high profile development projects across Auckland.

Matt Riley
Senior Urban Designer Barker and Associates. Matt completed a Master of Planning Practice degree (Auckland) in 2000, after working in law and spending time overseas. He worked as a planning consultant at Barry Rae Transurban for five years while studying for a Master of Architecture (Urban Design). After graduating in 2005, Matt moved to Auckland City Council as an urban designer. Matt’s work at council involved urban design input to development proposals and secondments to the Unitary Plan team and Housing Project Office. Matt joined Barker & Associates as a Senior Urban Designer in 2014.

Sean Burke.
Principal Landscape Architect Auckland Studio   Isthmus
Sean has two decades of experience in a range of landscape architectural work predominantly associated with infrastructure and the coastal edge.
Sean combines strategic thinking with core design skills underpinned by an ability to understand the natural and people context. A champion of the holistic view and noted keeper of overall project design visions, Sean offers a collaborative approach integrating the needs of many across a variety of procurement models.
Sean has a passion for well thought through design that advances the conversation of place, identity and human experience, yet goes beyond the visual to engage with the dynamics of the natural world in a meaningful proactive manner.


Alan Whiteley
Head of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at Opus International Consultants (now part of WSP)


Phil Wihongi  
Pae Matua
Tamaki Makaurau Project Management and Strategy, Environmental Planning and Management, Design, Landscape Architecture
Ngāti Hine

Phil Wihongi is a roof tiler, landscape architect and planner currently employed as Māori Design Leader with Auckland Council's Auckland Design Office.
Phil has experience within local government, environmental consultancy and working within the Raukawa Charitable Trust, a post-settlement tribal authority located in the south Waikato.
Bones in Tai Tokerau, feet and heart in Tāmaki Makaurau

Tuputau John Belford Lelaulu
Tau is an academic at the School of Architecture Unitec and founder of Mau Studio

Alan Titchener (Kāhui Whetu)   B.HORT DIP.LA FNZILA
Pae Matua
Tairawhiti / Takitimu Landscape Architecture
Ngāi Tahu

Alan Titchener, a Director of Titchener Monzingo Aitken Ltd Landscape Architects since 1989 has nearly 30 years experience. A firm believer in the value of collaborative design, he increasingly works as a member of multidisciplinary teams and consortiums. He has a particular interest in planning and design that recognises and incorporates both nature and culture to create place and people responsive solutions. Alan, a Past President and Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects, 2012 NZ Delegate on the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) and past chair of the IFLA Asia Pacific Region's Cultural Landscapes Committee.