One of only two new secondary schools in Auckland during the past quarter of a century, Botany Downs Secondary College is a victory of intelligent design. Located on Chapel Rd, opposite Botany Downs Town Centre, the school is the product of nearly a year of international research and benchmarking.

The educational philosophy that drives the design is one based on dissolving traditional subject boundaries, integrating more with the community and an overarching direction of life-long learning.

This poised, four-bedroom family home is built on a steep west-facing site on the slopes of Mt Eden. The design attempts to express the idea of a platform, built out from the slope of a mountain.

It is a contemporary inner-suburban house in a historic streetscape of considerable interest: the street frontage has a vertical emphasis and respects the set-back and textured pattern of the houses that enclose it.

Completed in 2004, this 17 level steel and concrete apartment tower provides 113 freehold one, two and three bedroom apartments plus four penthouse units on the upper levels. Three levels of basement parking are also provided. There are 32 different apartment configurations that cater to most needs. All apartments include balconies or decks to afford views of the nearby Sky Tower, Viaduct Harbour and Harbour Bridge.