Fineline is a Nelson-based architecture practice working across Aotearoa. Our work spans residential, hospitality and workplace projects, all underscored by a commitment to sustainable design.
We create inspiring spaces for everyday people using resources that don't cost the planet. We design with passion and rigour to craft spaces that are beautiful, meaningful, healthy, and light on their environment. As solution-minded creative thinkers, we always seek well-detailed, simple and elegant outcomes. For us, a good project supports individuals to grow, communities to thrive and ecosystems to flourish. We firmly believe that each project holds the potential to reflect the uniqueness of its place and people who inhabit it.
We are committed to delivering excellent service to our clients, offering guidance from project inception to the realisation of the built outcome.
Fineline Architecture is led by NZRAB registered architects Magdalena Garbarczyk and Mathew Hay.
Magdalena Garbarczyk
NZ Registered Architect, ANZIA
M.Arch, BAS
Co-founder & director
-
Magda was born in Warsaw, Poland, raised in France and studied in both France and the Netherlands. She gained professional experience at design-focused, internationally acclaimed firms in Madrid and Rotterdam before moving to New Zealand in 2012. In Tamaki Makaurau Auckland, she became a design team leader at the award-winning practice Fearon Hay Architects.
Always been interested in how architecture can positively contribute to society and address environmental challenges, Magda spent nearly a decade at Unitec School of Architecture as a lecturer, programme leader, and researcher. Her focus was on integrating sustainability to the core of architectural education, emphasising environmental awareness strategies. As a trained regenerative practitioner, Magda has been actively involved in large-scale, multidisciplinary urban regeneration projects in Auckland and Dunedin.
In 2021, Magda moved to Nelson and co-founded Fineline Architecture with the intention to practice in a way that is genuinely sustainable while continuing to bring a crafted and design-rich touch to projects of any scale. She is driven to achieving the highest quality design outcomes in every project and enjoys translating client’s aspirations into creative and innovative design solutions.
Magda is also co-founder of NelsonTasman2050, a local advocacy group dedicated to creating resilient, sustainable, and equitable urban environments.
Outside the office, Magda loves music, drawing, reading and immersing herself in the wild with her whanau.
-
2023 Registered architect, New Zealand
2008 Registered architect, the Netherlands
2008 Master of Architecture (with honour), Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands
2006 Bachelor of Architecture, Ecole Nationale d’Architecture de Strasbourg (ENSAS), France
__
2020 LENSES training, Centre for Living Environments and Regeneration (CLEAR)
2019 Creating Living Buildings course (LBC), International Living Future Institute
2018 Green Star Practitioner, NZGBC
2018 The Regenerative Practitioner training (TRP), Regenesis Group
-
Mathew Hay
NZ Registered Architect, ANZIA
B.Arch, BAS
Co-founder & director
-
Mathew hails from Gore in the southern part of the South Island and has traversed the country, living in areas such as Auckland and Wellington, before settling in Te Tau Ihu in 2005. After earning his degree from Auckland University in 2000, Mathew spent his formative years working alongside Malcolm Cheadle, who inspired him to establish his own practice. Consequently, for over 15 years, Mathew successfully operated his solo practice, undertaking diverse projects of various types, complexities, and scales across Aotearoa New Zealand – from 90 Mile Beach in the North to Castle Hill in the South, and extending into the Pacific.
Having contributed to numerous residential projects spanning all climate zones of Aotearoa, Mathew possesses a profound understanding of the unique beauty and challenges of living in this country. His dedication to comprehending the intricate assembly of buildings stems from his early work in furniture design and fabrication.
In 2021, Mathew joined forces with Magda to co-found Fineline Architecture, a venture reflecting their genuine commitment to sustainability. Passionate about translating designs into tangible results, Mathew meticulously crafts every detail with a blend of rigor and creativity. He prioritizes clear communication among all project stakeholders and closely monitors fabrication, assembly, and construction processes.
When not busy drawing or doing carbon calculations, Mathew finds joy in ocean swimming and exploring experimental gardening pursuits with his daughter.
-
2023 Registered architect, New Zealand
2011 Licensed Building Practitioner
2000 Bachelor of Architecture, Auckland University, NZ
1998 Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Auckland University, NZ
__
2022-23 Carbon & Costs Training with Resilienz
2022 Certified Passive House Designer Consultant Course – Part 1 (CEPH1)
-