When asked to name one favourite pastime, Melissa lobbied for three. “I have so many things I love, to pick just one would be an injustice to the others - each is really important to me.”

From walking through New Zealand’s stunning bush, to catching up with friends and family, or sitting quietly with a good book and a long black, Melissa’s mix of interests have a common thread - her level of dedication. She immerses herself in everything she does.

“I have so many things I love, to pick just one would be an injustice to the others - each is really important to me,” she says.

Competing in Orienteering at a national level while studying, saw Melissa traversing the countryside, appreciating the physical and technical problem solving that only this agility-meets-navigation sport can provide. Then, shortly after graduating from University, Melissa headed for Europe where she joined a London-based architecture firm, designing and detailing 5-star hotels across England and Russia.

“The level of subtlety and detail in those projects was second to none,” says Melissa. “With such demanding hotel clientele you couldn’t leave anything to chance, it all had to be 100% perfect, every time.” That meant Melissa spent many a day on construction sites, working closely with both clients and contractors, even living in Russia for months at a time.

This drive to dive into every project, truly get to know her clients, their needs and what they bring to the table, continues to colour how Melissa approaches her architectural work. 

Returning from London, to Auckland and settling in Wellington, Melissa joined the Pynenburg & Collins team in 2012, becoming a Principal in 2021. Her wealth of experience working with large cross-discipline teams, across all stages of the design process (from the initial briefing to documentation and through to completion) helps her tackle everything from complex commercial projects to laboratories.

“Every project needs a strong base to work from and I always want to create that alongside my clients,” says Melissa. That’s why she engages throughout the process to develop design solutions. Being able to guide people through the journey - to visualise and discover something they wouldn’t have previously considered - and then paint that picture together with an eye for the right details, allows Melissa’s designs to capture the unique requirements of every project.

Growing up in several corners of New Zealand, including time on a yacht exploring the Pacific with her family, Melissa has now made Wellington home. With more cafés per capita than NYC, the creative capital provides no shortage of cozy corners and long blacks to pass the time.

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