Established in Wellington in 2000, Bonnifait+Associates Architects is a practice founded on a plurality of thoughts and languages as a way of working. The architects bring diverse architectural experiences from different parts of the world, combining professional practice with research.

Our approach is oriented towards reconnecting people with physical reality — a territory, its history and its cultural context. Over more than 25 years of practice, we have developed a portfolio across New Zealand, from bespoke residential and boutique commercial architecture to light industrial development, regenerative tourism and eco-farm projects.

“Our architecture seeks to reveal the landscape and environment through a combination of innovation and common sense. Each project grows from a desire to form one body with its site. Without compromising design, we seek sustainable solutions that are appropriate to the place, its people and the realities of making.”

(*1971), Principal Architect - ANZIA nz - DPLG fr*
Cecile Bonnifait won the Wirihana Emerging Leadership Award 2014, National recognition from A+W-NZ. for her work that includes a broad range of architectural and urban design projects, displaying a special attention to contemporary issues of sustainability and heritage in New Zealand and in the Pacific. Cécile and her team’s work has continued to receive recognition over the past two decades, across housing, heritage, sustainable architecture and urban design.
Cécile’s approach reveals tangible and intangible elements drawn from the client’s brief, the character of a place, its history, topography and landscape, and connects them to shape the project. With over 25 years of practice, Cécile brings experience and continuity to the whole process, from the first conversations and design through to completion.
Cecile, a French Architect, studied and worked in Bordeaux from 1989 to 1995, and Helsinki, Finland in 1996 before moving to Wellington, New Zealand in 2000. Throughout her studies, Cecile was granted scholarships from the French Ministry of Youth and Sport in 1994, from the French Ministry of Culture from 95 to 97 and was a laureate of the Foundation Besnard de Quelen in 98 and the Foundation de France in 99 for operational and research on sustainable development projects in China . She also worked for and was mentored by Jacques Hondelatte, French Grand Prix d'Architecture 1998.
In New Zealand, Cecile co-founded Atelierworkshop in 2000. She lectured and tutored at the Victoria University School of Architecture from 2000 to 2004.
She was Jury for both the 2015 Interior Award of AGM Publishing and the NZIA Cadimage Group Students Design Award 2015.

**Team**
**BENSON WILDE**, architectural Graduate MArch (Prof) nz
With four years of experience developed in the practice, Benson has worked across projects spanning the process from concept to detailing. His particular attention to material, construction and the resolution of ideas at every scale contributes to the practice’s collaborative design process.
**RAPHAËL MAHY**, architect be belgium
With six years of experience across two Belgian practices before joining Bonnifait+Associates, Raphaël brings a strong connection between design and making. His experience working on building sites alongside carpenters, together with his research into architectural models, informs his practical approach to developing and resolving ideas.

**FELIX DOKONAL**, architect Dipl. Ing Arch austria
With four years of experience, Felix brings an international perspective shaped by architectural practice, teaching and research, with a particular interest in the transformation and adaptive reuse of existing buildings. His attention to detail and close relationship with materials contribute to the practice’s careful approach to architectural resolution.

Over the years, the studio has welcomed architects, graduates, students and collaborators from New Zealand and around the world.

Past Architectural Assistants

NIGEL BALL, new zealand ALEXIA ROZIECKI, france LUCA CAIAFFA, brazil JIAYI HUANG, china VIOLETTE PRIGENT, france
ELIOTT WESTERN, new zealand FERNANDO GARCIA, chile
OLIVIA ONG, new zealand HATTIE HUTCHISON, new zealand BENJAMIN FILLON, france JIHWAN JEON, south korea
DANAE MOODLEY, canada
JASON TAN, new zealand
JOHN MAUVAN, new zealand
MATTHEW LEE, new zealand
JESUS GARCIA, spain
JAMIE IRVINE, new zealand
SAM MARTIN, new zealand
LUKE ALLEN, new zealand
MATHILDE BEJOT, france
CHRIS HOWARD, new zealand

Past Communication Assistants
NABIL ALLAF, france
OPHELIE FRAYSSE, france
CAMILLE LE RIBAULT, france
DOROTHEE SOURISSEAU, france

Past Master Student for their Masters Thesis
CARINNYA FEAUNATI , vuw 2014, new zealand
CHARLOTTE BOWIE, massey uni 2010, new zealand

Past Interns

EMELIE CLARKE, new zealand / sweden
AKITO KUMIYA, japan
RAYMOND FOALIMA, new zealand
OLIVIA ROGERS, new zealand
SANDRA WASEF, egypt
LAURA CECILIA VAZQUEZ-TORRES, mexico
XAVIER DUPONT, france
MATHILDE HEUPEL, france
MARIE DELFAU, france
LEA AMANN, france
CAMILLE DE LOS RIOS, france
JOSIE MAINWARING, new zealand
LAURA STEPPER, germany
CARINNYA FEAUNATI, new zealand
ISGARD EIKMEIER, germany
MATHILDE POLMARD, france
JOHANNES FIETZE, germany
TOM GIMBERT, france
ANNLISE MONFORT, belgium

**Current Collaborators**
Our work is also shaped by a network of specialists and collaborators whose knowledge extends beyond architecture — from cultural advice and landscape to engineering, environmental management, lighting and construction.
MIRIA POMARE, cultural advisor, plimmerton SPENCER HOLMES ENGINEERS, wellington
ORTUS INTERNATIONAL QS, wellington CUTTRISS CONSULTANTS, civil engineering, wellington region
INCITE resource&environmental management, wellington region
HANNAH ZWARTZ, garden designer, kapiti RUSSELL KLEYN, photographer, wellington
CRUX PARTNERS, project navigators, auckland
BARTELEMY RIVES, limen design, wellington MICHELLE FISCHER, moth lighting consultant, wellington
MARK YOUMANS, resene architectural consultant, wellington
LIN YIFENG, architect, guangzhou, china

Past collaborators

POPESE LEAANA, talking chief - sa’anapu, samoa (2013-16) DANE DOUGAN, executive director, Autism NZ, wellington (2016-2021) RANGI KIPA, carving & moko artist - New Zealand (2004-05)
PASCAL DAUDON, visual artist - france (2004-05)
GEOFFROY LAMARCHE, principal scientist at National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research - New Zealand (2012-2016)
EDOUARD FRANCOIS, architect - france (2016-17) A. W. GIESEN, co-founder of Atelierworkshop ltd (2001-2023)

Since April 2023, Bonnifait+Associates Architects has continued independently under its current ownership, direction and team, with Atelierworkshop Ltd retaining responsibility and copyright for all projects undertaken by the practice since its foundation.