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Principal Vanessa Carswell co-leads our Christchurch studio alongside Principal Chris Jack. Her blend of international expertise gleaned while working with renowned practices in the UK, combined with her straight-forward attitude and a passion for quality design outcomes which are distinctly reflective of Aotearoa result in her exceptional design leadership.

With two decades of experience predominantly in the South Island, Vanessa has led a number of significant public projects in the region. Vanessa’s collaborative and inquiring approach to leadership is second to none when working with multiple stakeholders, client and consultant groups. Vanessa’s passion for designs which authentically serve their community often results in projects where cultural and environmental outcomes exceed initial expectations.

Recently completed projects cover an array of typologies, from masterplanning mixed-use urban developments to heritage and adaptive reuse, performing arts, civic and community facilities, education and research facilities.

Vanessa describes architecture as her destiny. She began experimenting with drawing plans when she was seven years old and hasn’t looked back. Her career has been rooted in the South Island with a sojourn to London to gain international experience in between. Overseas, she worked for acclaimed practices Grimshaw Architects and Allies and Morrison Architects, where she gained experience in complex heritage architecture, such as her involvement in the Kings Cross regeneration, including the Grade-II listed Great Northern Hotel. She also enjoyed exploring innovative, biophilic design solutions as part of the team on The Core, an education facility at the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Prior to joining Jasmax Vanessa was a Principal at Warren and Mahoney, where she led the restoration of The Isaac Theatre Royal, the first public building to open after the Christchurch earthquakes. Her design leadership on the project saw her win the NAWIC Outstanding Achievement in Design Award in 2016, and in 2017 she was nominated by Idealog as one of New Zealand’s most creative people. Vanessa was also Project Principal overseeing several concurrent projects for Ngāi Tahu’s Pita Te Hori/King Edward Barracks, a sustainable mixed-use inner-city development in Christchurch.

Successful engagement and design processes to integrate a connection with nature and cultural values within the Otago Polytechnic Masterplan, led to Vanessa co-presenting alongside the Otago Polytechnic at two Australasian conferences in 2019 - the Tertiary Education Management Conference in Adelaide, and co-presenting the opening Keynote Address at the 2019 Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability Conference.

A respected member of the wider architecture community, Vanessa currently sits on the New Zealand Property Council’s South Island Executive Board.