CREATING SPACE FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Architecture that starts with understanding how you live, and turns that into a home that works beautifully.
WHAT COULD YOUR HOME DO BETTER?
“We need more space.”
“Our layout doesn’t work.”
“We want more light.”
“We’re thinking about extending.”
“We’ve bought a property and have ideas.”
“We don’t know where to start...”
“...and budget matters.”
Kia Ora, I’m Cleon — founder of ARCLEE and a Wellington-based NZ Registered Architect. I believe good design starts with listening: understanding what matters to you, what could work better, and where design can make the greatest difference.
Start with life.
Then design the space.
Good residential architecture begins with understanding how a home needs to work for the people who live there.
How you move through it. Where people gather. How natural light enters the rooms. How spaces connect to each other and to the outdoors. Where everyday routines create friction, and where small changes can make a significant difference.
By understanding these patterns first, the design can respond more intelligently - creating spaces that are comfortable, energy-efficient, well considered and focused on where design can make the greatest difference.
I’ve been on the client side too.
Designing and building our own family home gave me a deeper understanding of the decisions, costs and uncertainty clients navigate along the way.
Feasibility + Early Advice
Before you commit, understand what’s possible.
Renovations + Alterations
Make more of the home you already have.
New Homes
Start with the way you want to live.
Documentation + Construction Support
How far would you like me to take the project?
A clear path from first ideas to construction.
Each project starts with its own priorities, opportunities and constraints. But the process should feel clear and well managed.
I work through each stage with you - understanding the brief, exploring design options, resolving the details, and supporting the project through approvals and construction.
Understand
Start with the right information.
Test the possibilities.
Explore
Resolve
Turn the idea into a buildable design.
Carry the design through to construction.
