Ngā Kōrero o Paparahi—Ewan Brown
For Ewan Brown, architecture has never been a static profession—it’s a lifelong journey of learning, evolving, and pushing boundaries.
From his early days in Palmerston North to receiving the prestigious Gold Medal from the NZ Institute of Architects, Ewan’s path has been marked by curiosity, humility, and a deep commitment to people and place.
Ewan began his studies at Massey University in Palmerston North, and transferred to Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington after his first year, where he met his future wife, Judi Keith-Brown. “She has been the biggest influence on my life and my work in architecture. She still is, with challenging me and supporting me, and hopefully I for her.” Ewan and Judi have two sons and work together regularly..
Ewan hadn’t seen much of New Zealand at that age and was drawn to Wellington as it was close to home and he had a few friends studying different courses at Victoria University of Wellington.
Studying at the University’s Faculty of Architecture and Design opened up a new world for Ewan. “I really enjoyed the bigger scale, the energy of the city and the great geography,” he says. “Especially having come from a very flat Palmerston North. I also thought I would get away from the wind of Palmerston North—little did I know!”
While he doesn’t point to a single standout project from his student days, Ewan reflects on the intensity of learning during that time. “School for me was so much learning and I never felt what I was doing was good enough,” he says. “It was not until I started to work and learn the many skills needed in architecture that I started to really feel like I was doing well.”
Curiosity and ongoing development have stayed with him throughout his career. “Architecture is continually learning—I am still learning,” he says. The field has undergone dramatic changes since his early days.
“Everything has evolved, that is the nature of architecture. When I started there were no computers—we were taught to draw by hand (which is a great skill to have). I remember the first computer in the office, and the first fax (the last fax).
“Sustainability was very fringe, now it has progressed and developed to be more mainstream. I had never heard about carbon in construction, now it’s talked about every day. So it all evolves, it’s just about committing to learning and doing new things all the time.”
Ewan says ‘care of people’ is one of the main values from his studies that has stayed with him throughout his professional journey. He encourages students to “work hard, be humble, push yourself beyond where you think your limit is, and lean into those challenges. And I expect you to do great things in the next steps towards a sustainable architecture of New Zealand.”
Ewan was the lead architect for the University’s aspiring Living Building, Ngā Mokopuna, one of the most environmentally responsible buildings in the world, and a site of huge cultural significance for the University and the city.
His work in sustainable design and diversity has helped shape the future of architecture in Aotearoa. “I’m very proud to have done work in Te Ao Māori in combination with the Living Building Challenge to create world-leading sustainable building projects,” he says. “I see these as encouraging the next generations of architects to take similar bold steps with their current and future projects and to make the future carbon neutral.”