Architects Pacific was established in Suva in 1971 by Stuart and Gilly Huggett as Architects Pacific Design Partnership (APDP). Our operations began in Toorak, Suva and has only recently moved to a new location in the heart of Suva’s industrial district, Vatuwaqa. This move was a response to a growing need for a larger space that we now use for our technical offices, boardrooms, building workshop and exhibitions. Architects Pacific has over 2000 works in their portfolio from across the world, over 1000 of these have been built.
Amitia (Misha) Huggett is now managing Architects Pacific from their offices in Suva. Ms Huggett has been the Managing Director of the firm now for over10 years. She continues to grow the companies portfolio in an endeavour to make sure that the legacy and reputation of Stuart Huggett and Architects Pacific continues on.
Approach to architecture
Our fundamental approach to design has been to involve the client in the design process so that the end result achieves two significant goals:
- The client has maximum ownership and interaction with the design solution.
- The client is conversant with the reasoning behind the design decisions of the project.
In recent years we have had increasing interest from overseas clients who wish to draw on our experience in three specific and related areas:
- The need for a design approach which incorporates and reflects the culture and traditions of the
population in which the projects are located. - The need to respond sympathetically to the remote sites in tropical environments whilst using simple building techniques to advantage in creative ways.
- Our use of technology for speed and accuracy of communication.
Most recently we have found that some clients really like to have things made very simple. We have now been able to diversify our teams and become a firm that is able to offer the option of design and build contracting, a one stop shop. This means that clients only have to engage with one team which in most cases creates a more efficient and stable scenario. Like most consultancies, it is important for Architects Pacific to be able to evolve and move with time, diversification is key.