The practice / Design by Williams
Independent thinking.
Enduring purpose.
Architecture begins with a clear idea. Its strength comes from carrying that idea through the plan, the materials and the smallest detail.
Independent in thought. Deliberate in detail. We bring architectural conviction together with the experience of making buildings real.
Meet the directors ↓Meet the directors
The people behind
the practice.
Architectural thinking, construction knowledge and development experience, brought together around your project.
Nathan Veevers
Design Director
Nathan leads the practice and is your first point of contact. His architectural background spans group home builders, smaller design practices and Williams Corporation’s design team.
He brings experience in residential planning, architectural detail and the coordination needed to move a design forward.
Matthew Horncastle
Director
Matthew is a qualified builder and co-founder of Williams Corporation. His experience spans land acquisition, development design, resource consents, sales and the wider delivery of residential projects.
He brings a builder’s perspective and an understanding of how early decisions shape the finished development.
Blair Chappell
Director
Blair is a co-founder of Williams Corporation with a background in business analysis and residential development. His experience includes procurement, pricing, site management and building consents.
He brings practical insight into the relationship between design decisions, construction and project delivery.
Our story
A new practice.
A depth of experience.
Based in Christchurch and working across New Zealand, Design by Williams grew from Williams Corporation’s in-house design department, becoming a standalone company in 2025. The team’s experience includes homes, townhouses, multi-unit developments and larger site plans.
Working within a development business brought design into close contact with real sites, budgets and construction. That practical understanding continues to inform our work as an independent practice.
Today, Nathan Veevers leads the practice alongside directors Matthew Horncastle and Blair Chappell. We bring that combined perspective to projects for a wider range of clients.
Read the story of the practice ↗01 / Independence
Think from first principles.
Every site deserves a fresh response. We begin with its possibilities and your ambitions, allowing the design to grow from a reason rather than a formula.
02 / Conviction
Carry the idea through.
A building is strongest when its parts belong to the same idea. Proportion, space and material should reinforce one another, from the first sketch to the resolved detail.
03 / Integrity
Let the work speak.
We value architecture with its own identity: honest in its materials, clear in its purpose and considered in the way it is made. The work should stand on its merits.
Experience you can see
From individual homes
to neighbourhoods.
Explore selected work from the team’s design portfolio, including projects completed during its time within Williams Corporation.
Explore the projects ↗Work with us