In Buchan’s Auckland studio, design architect Arno Pieters brings hand drawing to his design practice. With pen in hand, he gives shape to possibilities long before a digital model is considered, helping clients see the logic of an idea as it unfolds.
Creating a visual representation of a project’s potential stems from Arno’s first years designing ecotourism structures in remote locations internationally – work that demanded quick, intuitive responses to landscape, climate and material. At the same time, he began teaching architectural drawing to first-year students, which pushed him to articulate a clear, step-by-step method for turning a brief into a concept. “Students weren’t stuck because they lacked ideas,” he recalls. “They were stuck because they weren’t moving. Sketching gets ideas out of your head and onto the table.”
That immediacy now defines his role at Buchan. When Arno sits down with a new client or project team, his instinct is to start drawing. It’s a way to interrogate a site, test options and invite others into the design process. “People want to understand the possibilities,” he says. “Drawing lets everyone see the thinking and participate in shaping it.”
Much of Arno’s work is in the complex environment of mixed-use precincts, where cultural context, commercial needs, user experience and servicing realities all converge.‑use precincts, where cultural context, commercial needs, user experience and servicing realities all converge.
Arno plays a key role as co-chair of Buchan’s Design Executive, helping shape design culture across all studios and mentoring emerging designers. His sketching workshops for the Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects similarly reflect his commitment to equipping the next generation with confidence and agility at the early stages of design. He is not reviving hand drawing so much as reframing its purpose as an essential thinking tool in an era of fast iteration and AI-assisted workflows.‑assisted workflows.
For Arno, clarity of thought begins with a line drawn in real time. “AI is changing the way we work, but it doesn’t change the need for architects and designers to think visually. Sketching is still the quickest way to explore ideas and bring others into the conversation.”
Arno Pieters, Senior Associate
An educator, architect, and sketch artist with extensive experience in conceptual and early‑stage design. Arno specialises in guiding high‑level design decision‑making through strategic thinking, sketching, and design facilitation. A lateral thinker who challenges convention, he is deeply committed to detailed design resolution, ensuring strong conceptual intent is carried through to a refined and well‑resolved final outcome.
