WHO WE ARE
A Christchurch architecture studio combining progressive design with practical thinking.
Urbanfunction is a Christchurch-based architectural design studio working across residential, commercial, restoration and larger-scale architectural projects throughout Canterbury, the South Island and wider Aotearoa New Zealand.
Led by Design Director Aaron Jones, we combine creative thinking with practical experience to create architecture that responds to its site, purpose and people.
THE STUDIO
Design-led, collaborative and grounded in delivery.
Urbanfunction was founded in Christchurch by Design Director Aaron Jones and is shaped by more than 25 years of experience across New Zealand, Australia and the UK.
The studio combines design thinking with strong technical and delivery experience, staying closely involved from the early questions through to construction.
We work as a small, collaborative team, developing architecture that is specific to its site, resolved in detail and practical to build.
WHAT GUIDES OUR WORK
We don’t begin with a style.
We begin with what matters.
Context
Sun, views, landscape, climate, access and neighbouring buildings all inform the architectural response.
Clarity
We make complex information easier to understand so clients can make informed decisions at the right time.
Collaboration
Clients, consultants and builders are part of a connected project team, with each bringing important knowledge to the process.
Practical Thinking
Design quality, buildability, performance and budget are considered together from the outset.
WHO WE ARE
A small team, closely involved.
Aaron Jones
DirectorAaron founded Urbanfunction in 2009 after working in Melbourne and London. His approach combines broad design experience with a practical understanding of how buildings are made.
He is particularly interested in hillside and coastal homes, adaptive reuse and compact spaces, and enjoys finding simple solutions to challenging sites and briefs.
Outside the studio, Aaron is usually on the water, biking in the hills or skiing in the mountains.
Luke O’Neill
Architectural DesignerLuke brings almost a decade of experience to Urbanfunction, working across concept design, documentation and project delivery.
He is drawn to simple, bold ideas and the detail required to carry them through well. For Luke, a strong concept is only part of the outcome. The way it is resolved, documented and built matters just as much.
He brings a calm, considered approach to projects, with a strong eye for detail and an ability to think critically through design and technical decisions.
A Sumner local, Luke has a long connection with the coast. He competed in longboarding from a young age and became a New Zealand Under 18 Longboard Champion. Outside the studio, he is usually surfing or running.
Senior Architectural DesignerAnne Voets
Anne is a senior Architectural Designer with around 15 years’ industry experience across residential and commercial architecture in New Zealand and Europe. She completed her Bachelor of Architectural Studies with distinction at CPIT, now Ara Institute of Canterbury, and has been part of the Urbanfunction team for five years.
After spending time living and working in the Netherlands, Anne has returned to Christchurch, bringing further international experience to the studio. She has a strong technical understanding of architecture and plays an important role in developing and resolving projects through documentation and delivery.
EXPERIENCE
Experience across project types
Our work ranges from considered homes to larger and more complex architectural projects. Different briefs bring different challenges, but our approach remains the same: understand the opportunity clearly, bring the right expertise together and resolve the design with purpose.
Performance and sustainability are considered across every project, from orientation, thermal performance and material selection to durability, adaptability and long-term energy use.
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We design homes around the way people live, the qualities of the site and the realities of delivery. Our residential work includes new homes, hillside and complex sites, compact projects, renovations and high-performance design.
The aim is not a predetermined architectural style, but a home that feels specific to its place, its people and the way it will be used.
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Larger projects require more than good design. They involve multiple stakeholders, consultants, technical requirements, budgets and programme considerations that need to be understood and coordinated from the outset.
Urbanfunction brings together design thinking and practical project experience to establish a clear direction, resolve complexity and maintain design intent as the project develops.Every project is tailored to site, brief and context, with a collaborative process that ensures clarity from concept to completion.
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Commercial and community projects need to work for the people who use them as well as the organisations behind them.
We consider operational needs, user experience, site, programme and budget alongside the architectural response, working closely with clients, consultants and stakeholders throughout the project. Whether revitalising a single space or reimagining an entire property, our approach is tailored, respectful and grounded in craft.
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Working with an existing building begins with understanding what should stay, what needs to change and where new work can add the greatest value.
We approach renovations, restoration and adaptive reuse with respect for the existing building while improving how it functions, performs and responds to contemporary life.
RECOGNITION
Work recognised for design, detail and delivery
Urbanfunction’s work has been recognised through regional and national architecture and design awards, reflecting the studio’s focus on spatial quality, material resolution and how buildings perform in everyday life.
2026 Best Design Awards
Clifton Interior - Finalist
2026 ADNZ Awards
Clifton Interior - Regional Award
2026 ADNZ Awards
Korimako - Highly Commended
2026 ADNZ Awards
Shaun’s Place - Highly Commended
2026 Resene Colour in Design - ADNZ Awards
Clifton - Highly Commended
Good design is supported by a clear process
HOW WE WORK
From early feasibility through design, building consent and construction, our four-stage architectural process gives clients a clear understanding of what happens next, what decisions are required and how the project moves forward.
