Reflecting on a career in design with Buchan

There can be few in the design world who have weathered quite the storms that Raylene McEwan has. In her 22 years in Buchan ’s Aotearoa New Zealand architecture studio, she's endured several major earthquakes, a global financial crisis and a pandemic.

Yet the New Zealand Regional Operations Leader and Christchurch Principal says these challenges are what keeps her motivated and have pushed local design businesses to new heights.

"In the architecture business, you are almost always on the back foot, always learning, always changing, always keeping up with technological changes, material changes and legal changes," says Raylene. "There’s a drive in re-imagining design and what that involves. That has led to some fantastic opportunities as well as sector growth."

Re-imagining design is a theme that is evident across Buchan's business and one that resonates with Raylene. It's 30 years since the international ?practice first ventured into New Zealand.

"Buchan came to Aotearoa?through joint ventures with some talented local architects during the nineties," says Raylene, acknowledging the strength of the local design community.

Raylene joined in 2000 when Buchan set up an?ōtautahi Christchurch studio on the back of winning the competition to design the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. A bold architectural landmark, it survived the earthquakes and remains a much-loved symbol of the city. Raylene now oversees a team of 40, delivering retail, commercial, mixed-use and public projects that have had a defining influence on many of Aotearoa New Zealand's urban environments.

She's come a long way since starting her career in the design sector as draughtsperson.?

“During the eighties, a schoolteacher in form one convinced my parents that I was never going to be a typist and I couldn't cook, so he allowed me to do technical drawing and woodwork throughout my high-school years,” McEwan recalls.?

“It caused huge shockwaves through the school community when I won the woodwork prize. No-one ever made me feel like I couldn't achieve the impossible.”

Raylene is passionate about design and is a strong supporter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). She takes an active role mentoring young team members across the industry, believing that in good mentorship is learning from each other. She points out, however, that mentorship doesn't have to be female.

"I once wrote a list of the people who have been important in getting me to where I am and they're all male. There's this perception that you need to surround yourself with female peers, but you don’t. There is a lot of support out there. It's just a case of finding those right people and I consider myself very lucky that I always have.”

So, what does the future of Aotearoa New Zealand design look like? Raylene says a merger of expertise across design sectors is what will drive the next decade of business for Buchan's New Zealand studio. A key challenge is managing urban expansion to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population.

"We’re looking at high-quality, low-cost environments, with an emphasis on urban design,' says Raylene. "The space that's between buildings is now as important, if not more so, than the actual buildings themselves. It’s about creating places where people want to live and feel comfortable."?

It's why Raylene loves what she does. "I find great fulfilment in seeing people enjoy the spaces that we create. One of my favourite early-career memories was designing a large community swimming?pool complex. When the doors were opened for the first time, 200 screaming kids ran through and jumped in the pool. When you can see the people enjoying the space, that’s what it’s all about.”

?Expected growth in the tourism and education sectors will provide further opportunities for Aotearoa New Zealand design businesses. Raylene acknowledges that supply chain issues, rising costs and funding mechanisms all pose challenges but says skilled architects will find ways to deliver value to clients and communities alike. "As we enter a growth phase with some significant projects in the pipeline, I'm keen to diversify and grow our team into the next generation," says Raylene.