About ARCLEE
ARCLEE is a small Wellington-based architecture practice focused on thoughtful, practical design.
The practice is intentionally personal. I work directly with clients from the first conversation through design, consent and construction, bringing together good design, technical knowledge and clear communication.
A little about me
Āyubōvan, I’m Cleon Ferreira-Craig, most people call me Clee. I’m a New Zealand Registered Architect and founder of ARCLEE Architecture.
I was born in Sri Lanka and began my design education in spatial design here in Aotearoa, which still influences the way I approach architecture today. I tend to work from the inside out — starting with how a space needs to function for you, how you move through it, and how it should feel to live in.
I’ve been very fortunate to learn from and work alongside some exceptional architects throughout my career. Their experience and generosity have shaped both the way I design and the way I work with people and approach each project.
Starting ARCLEE gave me the opportunity to build a practice around those values, while creating a better balance for family life as a mum of three young children.
I believe good architecture shouldn’t feel out of reach. My aim is to make the design thinking, technical knowledge and professional accountability of a registered architect accessible to a wider range of people and projects, with a practical, considered approach to budget, space and long-term value.
I’ve been on the client side too.
Designing and building our own family home taught me a lot about what it feels like to sit on the other side of the table.
We went through multiple versions of the design, carefully refined materials and construction methods to keep costs under control, and had to make plenty of decisions along the way.
Construction brought its own challenges, and it reinforced for me how important it is to stay closely involved and respond quickly when things don’t go to plan.
That experience has made me more aware of the whole client journey - not just the design, but the uncertainty, costs and practical realities that come with building.