We design homes that get built.
That sounds obvious. It isn’t. Plenty of beautiful designs never make it out of the drawing set - they’re unbuildable, or they cost twice what the client was told, or they die in consenting.
ARCHDES Evolution was founded in Tauranga in 2016 to close that gap. Our director spent a decade inside both boutique studios and building-company design teams, and built this practice on what he learned there: that the difference between a good design and a good outcome is documentation.
Today we’re a team of nine across two studios. We’ve designed over 100 homes for Sentinel Homes alone, including national House of the Year winners. We’re Licensed Building Practitioners and Homestar Practitioners.
And our clients tell us the same thing, in different words, every time: the drawings were right.
About Us
FOUNDER · MANAGING DIRECTOR · LEAD DESIGNERSam Austen
ARCHDES Evolution is a dynamic architectural design studio in Tauranga, with a portfolio covering projects from Northland to Southland. ARCHDES collaborate with clients and leading building firms, ensuring their bespoke designs meet the highest standards and are easily buildable.
With over fifteen years of experience, Sam leads the company with a passion for creating beautiful, minimalistic, and practical spaces. The team specialises in residential and large-scale development projects. ARCHDES Evolution is committed to delivering high-quality, environmentally conscious designs that exceed expectations and stand the test of time.
Meet our Director, Sam, a leader with over 15 years of architectural expertise in the residential sector. Sam has a wealth of experience ranging from small, standalone homes to multimillion-dollar, highly detailed projects. His expertise also extends to multi-building large lot subdivisions and managing large-scale developments over multiple years, from initial design concept through to on-site delivery.
His leadership style embodies a minimal design approach, emphasising tidy, clear and sleek design carried through to all documentation.
Experienced, accurate and adventurous enough to achieve and exceed your expectations.
Our StoryOur journey began in 2006, with our Director entering the architectural industry and gaining experience across a wide range of practices — from boutique architectural studios to in-house design teams within building companies. This breadth of exposure shaped a clear understanding of what works, what doesn’t, and what could be better.
In 2016, ARCHDES Evolution was founded with a simple but ambitious goal: to merge the best systems, processes, and thinking from across the industry into one highly focused architectural practice. Since then, we’ve evolved into a dedicated, innovative, and detail-driven studio, grounded in buildability and real-world outcomes.
Today, we push boundaries through rigorous thinking, strong systems, and a commitment to continuous improvement — always striving to be just 1% better every day. Our focus is on delivering high-quality, reliable, and innovative architectural solutions that stand out, perform, and endure, in line with our mission, vision, and values
Push the Boundaries
Join us in pushing the boundaries of Innovation! We strive to be pioneers in our field. Setting ourselves apart from the rest and challenging the status quo. Together, we can revolutionise the way we approach our work and inspire others to do the same
Design Philosophy
Your ARCHDES Evolution design is clear, precise, accurate and buildable. An experienced eye on the long-developed practices of yesterday, keeping up-to-date with the modern materials, techniques and requirements of today, while always looking towards the building needs of your tomorrow.
Your ARCHDES Evolution design meets your needs
“I have no hesitation in saying Tauranga architectural designer Sam has the safest pair hands of anyone I know in this game”
Meet the Team
