Building a home for adults, teens and pre-schoolers was made easy with input from a family architect.

Auckland actor Charlie McDermott counts fashion, art and design mementos among his favourite things.

See an artist's conception of what "party central" on Auckland's Queens Wharf will resemble with the revamped design of a temporary structure called "The Cloud". Images / NZ Govt

The revamped design for the troubled Rugby World Cup "party central" on Auckland's waterfront is a structure that has been dubbed "The Cloud".

The Govt has opened its first 'simple house', its answer to streamlining the design and build process for first-time buyers.

It's possibly the most-hated font of all and campaigners are calling for its ban.

Winning designs at the Canterbury Architecture Awards 2010.

About 100 seats in the $256 million Eden Park upgrade are useless because almost all of one try line and a good chunk of the field are blocked from view.

Plans for a Kiwi bach that generates more power than it uses are on display next week as the nation's universities showcase to business their latest innovations.

Ranalde Baker has an eclectic collection of objects that reflect his love of good design.

A heritage architecture award for the remnants of Auckland's Jean Batten Building has offended preservationists.

Winning designs at the Auckland Architecture Awards 2010.

Julia Kingham relishes design that pushes the boundaries.

If the purpose of a corporate rebranding is to create buzz, then Gap certainly succeeded.

She belies the conceit that readers only want primary characters who are likeable.

A $840,000 Whangaparaoa house is selling electricity back to the national grid, generating $127.75 in its first two months.

Environmental artist Martin Hill says he tends to get more pleasure from personal experiences than from tangible objects.

Prominent figures from the world of art and architecture demand action over huge, floodlit ads obscuring palaces up and down the Grand Canal.

Don Saunders wants to turn New Zealand into a street vendors' paradise with his catering company that makes hot dog, icecream and chip carts.

How you see the restoration of a collection of century-old buildings on Auckland's downtown waterfront is a matter of perspective.

The Best Design Awards is a collection of creative excellence for designers and their clients. These are the four Purple Pin (Supreme Award) winners and this years Gold winners in Graphic, Product, Interactive and Spatial Design.

Dancer Mary Jane O'Reilly tells Viva about her precious keepsakes.

Summer is coming and it's time to get creative with your outside space. Viva speaks to Danish furniture supremo Anders Noorgard about the hottest trends in outdoor luxury.

An Auckland woman's renovations cost was offset by thinking of the future comfort they would bring.

Creative fashion and bizarre bras at last night's World of Wearable Arts awards.

Favourite things come from all areas of life for designer Adrian Hailwood, whose childhood memories of counting rods in maths lessons feature right up there with architecture and Picasso portraits.