Award-winning architect Ricky Booth has travelled the world in his quest to learn more about macro and micro planning and design and sustainable and innovative architecture.

After ten years working in Europe and Australia, he has brought his extensive international knowledge to Wanaka with the launch of architectural practice, Intuitive Architects.

Originally from Cromwell, Wanaka was always the place where Ricky and his wife Anna  intended to return home to.

“There’s an intangible component that really drew us to Wanaka,” he says. “It’s a wonderfully wise place – there is so much experience, energy and care that congregates here and people are willing to share and collaborate.”

Collaboration is a fundamental element of Ricky’s work, which ranges from bespoke residential and multi-residential buildings to master planning and hospitality design including breweries, vineyards and hotels.

He starts each project by finding out what a client’s focus is and how they want to live and interact with their spaces.

“We create places for people and buildings with integrity, all of which are intuitive to the local culture, climate and landscape. Everything is carefully considered, each project, regardless of the scale is unique because a client’s brief and the environment inform a certain architectural style.”

Ricky says the life that happens within a building is not isolated to four walls.

“It’s the spaces surrounding and between that are equally as important to consider. I like to think that is my point of difference in recognising the value that those spaces bring to people.”

Ricky’s overseas experience in planning and architecture has influenced his holistic approach to designing buildings that are functional, spatially savvy and environmentally thoughtful.

He says for him, it’s all about extracting lessons and ideas from the past – particularly from parts of the world with a rich building history – and looking to the future to determine how each project can be more innovative and efficient.

As the Southern Lakes continues to grow, Ricky’sambition is for Intuitive Architects to contribute durable, sustainable architecture in well-planned communities, where natural and recycled materials are embraced and applied in a sophisticated manner as well as being sensitive to the spectacular landscapes.

“I care for how our region evolves. Wanaka is a wonderful place with an extraordinary landscape and that needs to be reflected in our buildings and public places. Hopefully elements of the holistic macro urban planning approach might influence how we plan, develop and build here.”