A history of original creative work by Mark Southcombe designed and made in collaboration with clients, colleagues, and contractors from the current day back through time to 1989 and the early years of practice as Southcombe McClean and Company. Documenting the body of work is a research project proceeding over time. This is a work in progress that will be populated and updated as material becomes available.

Key projects between 2012 and 2008 included Durie Hall House with collaboration from Andre Hodgkinson, Whanganui Central Baptist Kindergarten Atelier and Administration (2013 NZIA Western Architecture Award for Architecture), St Mary’s Church and Community Centre redevelopment with collaboration from Simon Twose, an Otaki Beach house, and the Whanganui Gateway project Urban landscape Design reimagining a city image through design of a new the southern entrance landscape to to the city (2008 NZIA Western Architecture Award for Urban Design).  

Key projects between 2009 and 2003 include the Whanganui Waterfront Redevelopment for the Whanganui City Council (2008 NZIA Western Architecture Award for Urban Design), three ‘Sister Houses’ family holiday homes on the lakefront in Waitetoko, Lake Taupo, a retirement house for a couple at St Johns Wood in Whanganui, a contemporary Courtyard House in New Plymouth for an architectural historian, and Kidz at 303, a prototype parent support and under 2 year old Early Childhood Education Centre in Whanganui.  

Key Projects between 2007 and 2002 include UKDIZ Relocatable Early Childhood Centre that embodied the parallel Ministry of Education prototype Prefabricated ECEC design and tender, a 40 million dollar national project implemented by Signature Homes, The ‘Happy School’, a new school Library, Learning Centre and site redevelopment in New Plymouth, (2007 NZIA Resene Local Award, St John Bosco School - Additions, New Plymouth), Mountain House in Hawera (2008 NZIA Resene Western Branch Award, Mountain House, Hawera), An apartment interior and additions for the architect and family Ridgway Street Whanganui, and the ‘First House’ Affordable Sustainable 17 Urban apartments research and design project, with layered exterior terraces, and undertaken in collaboration with John Gray and Helen Tippett (NZIA Wellington Local Award 4 Frederick Street Apartments 2003).

Key Projects between 2006 and 2001 include Sacred Heart Thorndon urban school redevelopment the Little Big school on the edge of the Wellington city including the Library, Classrooms, a bridge and Administration facilities, The merger and redevelopment of Sacred Heart College and St Augustines College on a single site as Cullinane co-educational college from 1999 - 2004 in Whanganui, Including Two Floor L shaped block b sciences and humanities, The sports centre redevelopment, The library and technologies wings, the new administration and classroom redevelopment and site landscape design. (2004 NZIA Resene Local Award Cullinane College Stages 1-5) Wanganui, a finely crafted house on St Johns Hill in Whanganui, and the Te Kura O Kokohuia Area School in Whanganui including Marae Atea, Wharepuni classrooms, Wharekai technologies, Wharepaku ablutions, and classrooms (2002 NZIA Resene Local Award, Te Kura Kokohuia, Wanganui).

Key projects between 2000 to 1997 include the Virginia Lake Boardwalk (2002 NZIA Resene Local Award, Virginia Lake Boardwalk, Wanganui) pavilion and southern entrance landscaping, a house on the Waikanae River estuary, The Sarjeant Gallery Competition we advocated for, and participated and exhibited in, (Design collaboration with John Verstappen, selected for exhibition and peoples choice selection in exhibition), The St Annes Church and Community Centre Whanganui East (2001 NZIA Resene Local Award, St Anne’s Parish Church, Wanganui) and the Eastern Institute of Technology Student Village in Taradale Napier.

Key projects between 1998 to 1994 include the Whanganui Jockey Club Redevelopment, The Whanganui Museum Redevelopment, The centralisation of four Whanganui Lodges in a new Lodge building and Freemasons Hall, the Support for Independence research and resulting Quinlan Court 15 independent linked apartments, The Whanganui Regional Community Polytechnic School of Fashion Studio 142 (1996 NZIA Resene Architecture Award Western Regional and Colour Award Wanganui Polytechnic Fashion Design School), and several stages of the Quay School of Fine Arts Campus adaptive reuse, seismic retrofitting, and regeneration and linking together of seven adjacent Heritage Buildings (2000 NZIA Resene Branch Award, Quay School of the Arts, Wanganui).

Key projects from 1996 to 1993 include the Architects own offices on the corner of Ridgway Street and Drews Avenue Whanganui, (1997 NZIA Resene Western Region and Colour Award Atelier House) the Ridgway Street redevelopment and pocket park as the first major urban redevelopment project, several fire reinstatements after the Ridgway Street fire of February 1994, our first Apartment Interior Design in Wellington, The Whanganui Regional Community Polytechnic Library and Learning Centre (1994 NZIA Western Branch Award, and following on from Rangahaua in 1991 - the collaboration with Rewi Thompson on Pukenga in Auckland (1995 NZIA Auckland Branch Award, 2021 NZIA Enduring Architecture Award Auckland).

Key projects from 1995 to 1989 include Whanganui Regional Community Polytechnic Student Community Housing Apartments (1993 NZIA Resene Branch Award Whanganui Regional Community Polytechnic Student Accommodation), the St Anthonys Church redevelopment as Holy Family Church and Community Centre complex in Gonville with collaboration from Joanna Margaret Paul, WRCP Rangahaua Maori Studies Faculties, Whanganui Regional Community Polytechnic Strategic Development Plan, Early Houses, Whanganui Newspapers Redevelopment on the Whanganui Waterfront, and the beginnings of the 25 year + Whanganui Community Arts Centre project.

This History is a work in progress and will be updated regularly until it’s complete. Watch this space…