The Sons & Co. studio is situated in a 150sqm warehouse space, above a ship chandlery, in Lyttelton.

For the client Lyttelton was a very conscious choice, removing themselves even further from the world, confident they can still attract clients. The new studio needed to be a physical representation of that intent and idea. They have no logo, website or social media presence, so the studio is the brand.

The brief was a studio for six people. The client uses the word studio in preference to office as they believe there's a difference. They’re a very small team of friends. They work very closely together, they have an implicit understanding.

They enjoy ‘pure’ design. By that, they mean they’re attracted to design in its most direct form. Work full of rigour, that’s original, uncompromising, but often has an element that is pure whim, nonsense or "just, because".

Metal trusses, timber sarking, and polished concrete created a robust industrial canvas from which the design could reference. Stained timber flutes, individually milled, were introduced in the form of wall-claddings and large sliding doors to delineate the studio environment from meeting spaces.

The clients like an ordered environment, calm, beautiful and refined. They believe the way in which creative people work hasn't changed since the birth of time. The design of the studio didn’t need to facilitate a process, they’re not of the "design can change the world" school, but they do believe when design is good, really good, it raises the human spirit.