Residential Architectural Design
Christchurch & Canterbury
Based in Christchurch, Choice Architecture provides residential architectural design for bespoke homes, lifestyle and rural living, and holiday retreats.
We work with clients throughout Canterbury and across the wider South Island, delivering carefully considered design responses grounded in site, context, and the way people want to live.
Our work is shaped by a belief that residential design should be thoughtful, clear, and responsive — supporting everyday life while remaining robust over time.
Led by architectural designer Joe Armitage, the studio brings over a decade of residential design experience across Canterbury.
What We Design
We specialise exclusively in bespoke residential new builds.
Our work centres on individually commissioned homes shaped by landscape, orientation, structure, and proportion. We do not pursue volume housing or developer-led work. Instead, we focus on carefully considered residences where architectural integrity defines the outcome.
Each project is developed as a complete architectural composition, resolved from the ground up.
Individually designed homes shaped by site, brief, and context — developed from early concept through to consent-ready documentation.
Residential design for lifestyle blocks and rural properties, responding to landscape, climate, and long-term patterns of living.
Thoughtfully designed holiday homes and retreats that balance escape, durability, and ease of use across seasons.
Residential Design Experience in Christchurch & Canterbury
Designing homes in Christchurch requires an understanding of local planning controls, site conditions, and the city’s post-earthquake context. Our experience working with Christchurch City Council and consultants across the region helps ensure designs respond effectively to zoning requirements, site constraints, and the consent process.
We regularly work on residential projects within established suburbs, new subdivisions, and semi-rural settings, navigating site-specific challenges while maintaining a clear and considered design intent.
How We Work
Our residential design process is structured to provide clarity at each stage, from early conversations through to consent-ready documentation. We take a considered, collaborative approach, guiding clients through each phase with care and transparency.
1. Understanding the Brief & Site
Every project begins with listening. We work closely with our clients to understand their goals, lifestyle, and budget, alongside the opportunities and constraints of the site. This early stage ensures the design responds meaningfully to context, landscape, and how the home will be used over time.
2. Design Development
We develop the design through iterative testing and refinement, exploring layout, form, and spatial relationships to arrive at a clear and resolved architectural response. Throughout this stage, we provide guidance and clarity, ensuring decisions are well informed and aligned with the project’s intent.
3. Consent-Ready Documentation
Once the design is resolved, we prepare detailed documentation suitable for council consent and coordinate with consultants as required. Our experience working with councils across Christchurch and the wider South Island helps streamline this stage and reduce uncertainty.
Selected Residential Projects
Below is a selection of residential projects designed in Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region, demonstrating our approach to bespoke homes across a range of contexts.
Regents Park House — Bespoke Home in Christchurch
A bespoke family home in Christchurch, designed to balance strong architectural form with practical, everyday living.
Starvation Hill House — Rural Lifestyle Home in North Canterbury
A contemporary rural lifestyle home in North Canterbury, designed for an exposed site with long-range hill views and strong consideration of shelter and wind.
Rose Street House — Bespoke Home in Blenheim
A contemporary bespoke home in Blenheim, designed to create generous living spaces while maintaining privacy and strong connections to outdoor areas.
Coastal Retreat — Contemporary Holiday Home
A compact coastal holiday home in South Africa, designed as a low-maintenance escape from urban life with expansive ocean views and a restrained architectural form.
Christchurch & Canterbury
Based in Christchurch, we design architecturally significant new homes throughout Canterbury and the wider South Island. Our experience across rural, coastal, and hillside sites allows us to confidently lead projects within complex and exposed environments.
As a Christchurch architectural designer, our work is shaped by Canterbury’s climate, landforms, and building context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of residential projects do you specialise in?
We specialise exclusively in bespoke residential new builds — typically architecturally significant homes where design integrity, construction quality, and long-term performance are central to the brief.
What level of investment do your projects generally involve?
Our projects are typically aligned with architecturally designed homes where thoughtful detailing, structural clarity, and high-quality material execution are essential components of the outcome. We discuss scope and investment expectations early to ensure alignment before design progresses.
Most projects we undertake involve architecturally detailed new homes where quality of construction and long-term performance are central priorities.
When should we engage you?
Ideally at the earliest stage of planning — before site purchase where possible. Early engagement allows us to assess long-term potential, planning considerations, and strategic design opportunities.
How many projects do you take on each year?
We undertake a limited number of architecturally significant residential commissions each year to ensure direct involvement and design integrity.
Start a Residential Project in Christchurch
If you’re considering a bespoke home, lifestyle or rural property, or a holiday retreat, we’d be happy to talk.
Early conversations help clarify scope, timing, and whether we’re the right fit for your project.