From wall to ceiling: building beyond boundaries with customised construction

Customisation within the construction industry works as an excellent method for achieving briefs to a premium standard, allowing designers to meet clients' specific needs and ultimately set projects apart from the rest. 

New Zealand family-owned business Featurecraft boasts a team of experts in custom-crafted architectural wall and ceiling systems, offering design-led solutions for architects without compromising their creativity. With a promise of a simple and seamless process, a priority for environmental considerations and an offer of end-to-end support, Featurecraft is the perfect team to deliver exactly what you want. 

We speak to Riley Smith and Mark Fyfe of Featurecraft, discussing customised architectural walls and ceilings and how this method of magic promises the perfect experience for architects & clients and their projects.

One of the most substantial perks of customisation is the ability to achieve tailored solutions for briefs of all calibres. Each project differs, and with Featurecraft’s vast project portfolio ranging from smaller office spaces to large-scale projects such as airports, there’s no job too big or too small. 

“One of our mottos is 'Impossibly Crafted' - so we encourage architects or designers if they think their brief is too difficult or can't be done, to come to us, and we work to provide solutions and work through the designs to make it happen.”

As industry professionals, architects always strive to curate designs that are better than their last, as well as any already out there. Customisation offers endless possibilities when it comes to personalisation and aesthetics, and clients have the freedom to collaborate on materials, textures, and styles that reflect their unique tastes.

“One of the most significant factors is understanding what the client or Architect needs as early as possible. That gives us a decent idea of how we can provide relevant product options and product designs to fit the brief and provide a solution to what they want.”

“A big thing with customisation is that our target audience is always looking for new ideas. Architects always want to push the boundaries and create something new and extraordinary that sets the project apart - that's why we've tried to set our company apart by offering our standard range of products and customisation,” explains Mark Fyfe, Construction Lead of Featurecraft. 

Achieving distinct outcomes also allows the team at Featurecraft to tap into their own creativity, bringing a trained eye in the craft into your unique designs and ensuring they’re successfully carried out. With customisation also going beyond aesthetics, clients can explore different options on the more technical side of their projects that may strengthen their design, including wayfinding, fire ratings, and even acoustic ratings. 

“We want to be that go-to company that provides a solution for anything. We are a smaller team compared to some of the other teams out there, which allows us to be a little bit more nimble and adapt to different design briefs and requirements.”

“We utilise incredible craftsmen who can turn any idea into reality.”

Featurecraft’s strive for sustainability is reflected through their methods and material choices. With a company-wide focus on sustainability in material selection and certifications, Featurecraft wanted to be ahead of the game and ensure clients had access to eco-friendly options throughout their design process. 

“We have a lot of sustainability certifications, we saw on market demand, so we took a bit of a forward step on that, and we didn't want to be just compliant; we wanted to provide as much as we can in terms of sustainability. “ 

“We are FSC and PEFC certified, and all of our products, glues, processes, etc., have been reviewed by a GreenStar credit professional called EnviroSpec NZ.” 

Traceability is critical when making eco-friendly decisions. Featurecraft’s collaboration with EnviroSpec involved a thorough examination of their product range, leading to the development of bespoke Green Building Summary Sheets. These documents are designed to assist Architects and Designers in quickly identifying the Green rating tool, credit category, requirements, compliance details, and points obtainable when selecting Featurecraft products for Greenstar and Homestar projects.

“We've just tried to make it as easy as possible for people to select the right products for what points they're trying to claim or simply be able to access sustainable products from us. Not every project we do is FSC or PEFC certified, but where they're looking for those certifications, we do have that option for them,” explains Riley.

Learn more about Featurecraft on ArchiPro.