Ignite has internally appointed Jennis Lee and Stirling Burrows as associate directors, showing their dedication to developing their existing talent. Ignite director Michael Bilsborough says, “Both Jennis and Stirling combine outstanding design and project management skills with a real sensitivity to clients’ needs and culture that enhances every project they’re involved in.”

Jennis Lee says she is particularly drawn to projects that enable her to explore New Zealand’s many cultures and values a human-centred approach to every design. Jennis has over 13 years of experience working on the design and delivery of educational, sports recreation, civic and commercial projects. She has been a project lead on several school developments as well as senior architect on the O.K.L.A. apartment development in Albany.

Stirling Burrows has been in the building industry for over 20 years and has expertise in every step of the design process from bidding to delivery. He is particularly experienced in the public sector working on projects like the award-winning Te Kauwhata Library. He says that projects for iwi including the Waka Maori cultural showcase for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, are especially dear to his heart.

“This is a really exciting time of growth at Ignite, and recognising and developing our internal talent like Jennis and Stirling is an essential part of our strategy,” says Michael Bilsborough. “People are at the heart of everything we do and with the promotion of these two talented architects to leadership roles, Ignite is in an exceptionally strong position to deliver clever, human-focused designs well into the future.”