new zealand is full of studios with grit and vision, but semicreative has carved out a space of its own.
Founded by James Irvine, the practice moves with ease between commercial fit-outs and family homes, finding moments of play without losing sight of proportion and craft. Their work is as comfortable in a busy bakery as it is in a quiet living room: always thoughtful, always a little unexpected. As neighbours and friends, we’ve been lucky to see Nightworks lighting land in a few of their projects, and even luckier to sit down with James for a conversation about design, the city, and the small details that make a space sing.
the making of semicreative
q. you’ve worked across some very different project types. What moments or experiences led you to establish SemiCreative as your own studio?
It came in two parts. Early on, I moved from product design into spatial design, working alongside creative directors like Buster from Wonder Group and J, who shaped how I think about design. That mentorship made me a better designer.
Back in Christchurch, my partner and I bought a section to build on, and the idea of starting a studio lingered in the back of my mind. A short work trip to Bali stretched into two years, and by the time we returned—right as COVID hit—it felt like the right moment to make it happen.
The studio didn’t start as SemiCreative; the name came from me joking that I was only a “semi creative director,” drawn more to execution than big-picture vision. My partner suggested the name, and it stuck.
We launched in 2020, just me at first. Now we have a small team handling interiors, detailing, and contractors, with room to grow. What began as a side step has become a solid studio, and being based in Christchurch feels like a way to give back to a city still shaping itself.
q. many of your projects embrace an honesty of materials. We often notice how the smallest detail—the finish, the patina, the way light interacts—can change a space. what role do those subtleties play in your material choices?
They play a massive role. We don’t always get to work with dream materials (cost often gets in the way) but that just pushes us to find other ways to create beauty. Even small things, like how light hits a surface or where a grout line meets a fixture, can subtly shift how a space feels.
Every material has qualities worth exploring, whether it’s a luxurious slab of marble or a humble laminate. In hospitality, for example, we experiment with curves, layering, and texture, and consider how light and shadow interact, often creating richness beyond the material itself.
We’re very tactile in the studio: testing samples, moving them in different lights, and even then, some of the best decisions happen on site.
q. at nightworks, we’re fascinated by how lighting can shift a room from functional to emotive. in your work, does lighting come in at the end, or is it part of the core concept from the start?
Lighting always comes in from the start. We present ideas alongside the first concept. It’s not an add-on but a core part of how a space works and feels. Lighting has to do the hard job of being functional, but it’s equally responsible for mood: a colour temperature that’s too cold or a spotlight hitting your eye can make or break the experience.
My background in product and lighting design informs this approach. We treat fixtures like products, considering scale, placement, glare, and how they sit within an assembly. Collaborating early with other creatives—branding, signage, wayfinding—ensures everything works together.
q. clients often bring strong personal tastes or emotional attachments, like the modernist passion at Antoun Nichols Orthodontics or the family history in Paddy’s Pad. How do you balance that input with your own design instincts?
For us, the starting point is always the client’s problem: what they’re trying to achieve and the story they want the space to tell. Most people already have a strong sense of what they like, whether that’s a design era they’re drawn to or something more personal, like family history. Our role isn’t to steer them toward a single aesthetic but to test ideas within their brief and see how far we can take them.
Often that means encouraging clients to be a little braver than they first imagined, to think beyond resale value or playing it safe. We’ll take a material they love or a key idea they’re passionate about, then explore alternative or unexpected ways to bring it to life. When we present something slightly out of the box, there’s always a bit of nervousness, which I think is healthy. It shows we’re pushing boundaries. And more often than not, those are the ideas clients end up loving most.
collaboration in practice
q. many of your projects embrace “less is more”, but also create hospitality and playfulness. where do you draw the line between restraint and personality?
I think personality doesn’t always need to be loud. It can come from really simple moves. For us, proportion and placement are key to striking that balance. If those fundamentals are right, the space feels calm and restrained, and then you can introduce personality in subtle but memorable ways. Sometimes it’s a small pop of colour, other times it’s a quirky object or detail placed just so. Those touches keep a project playful without tipping it into clutter or excess.
q. semicreative spaces always feel warm and considered. what role do collaborators, like lighting designers or furniture makers, play in achieving that?
Collaborators play a huge role. We learn the most from people who are hands-on, crafting pieces day in and day out. Whether it’s lighting, furniture, or metalwork. Showing genuine interest in their craft opens up knowledge that shapes everything, from material choices to fabrication techniques.
My background in product design means I approach interiors the same way: each element needs to be resolved like a product, then work together as a whole. At first, I was nervous about letting go of control, but I’ve learned that trusting skilled collaborators elevates the work and makes the process more enjoyable. The right team makes a space feel warmer, more considered, and alive.
q. semicreative seems equally at home designing for public spaces (restaurants, bakeries) and private ones (family homes). do you approach those briefs differently, or is the design language consistent?
We started as a commercially focused studio, and residential work only came later when clients asked us to help with their homes. Today it’s about a 60–40 split, with residential slightly higher than expected. Commercial projects often come with tight deadlines and budgets, while residential clients move at a steadier pace, giving more room for detail and nuance.
Our design language doesn’t change much between the two. Whether public or private, we encourage clients to set aside the expected and embrace something personal or playful. Ultimately, a project’s success comes down less to the category and more to the client’s willingness to be adventurous. That’s when the work really comes alive.
q. christchurch has a strong architectural history and a rebuilding story post-quake. how much does the city itself influence the way you design?
I love it. Christchurch has such a strong sense of passion around design, and you really feel it among the architects, designers and enthusiasts here. We often look back to local projects for inspiration, especially in the craft space. A lot of those buildings weren’t always the most practical in terms of water-tightness, but they had this incredible attention to detail: overlapping solid timber rails, brass fixings, and a real focus on craft rather than low-cost systems.
What excites me now is seeing that same energy re-emerge through people doing new things in the city, whether it’s locals returning from overseas or someone opening a new shop with a strong vision. Every few months it feels like something fresh is happening, and that makes Christchurch cooler, more vibrant, and better for everyone. Being part of that momentum and helping people bring their ideas to life is something we’re really stoked about.
the lighter side
q. if you could design a semicreative x nightworks product, something that doesn’t exist yet, what would it be?
I think it would be a fixed table lamp—something you’d find in a hotel lobby or a law firm reception. In my mind, it would be finished in a darker brass, with a subtle downlight that casts a soft wash of light across the surface. It’s less about function and more about atmosphere. Creating those little pockets of warmth that set the tone of a space rather than trying to be the main source of light.
q. what’s the weirdest or most unexpected request you’ve ever had from a client?
Probably the time I was working in Bali and a client asked for a “secret room” (think a 50 Shades reference). Not something we’ve been asked for in New Zealand yet, but if that’s what you’re after, we can make it happen.
q. if you had one nightworks light to play with at home, no brief, where would you use it?
I’d go for a front door sconce. Probably something like the Halo Wall Light. I’ve got a real thing for feature sconces that greet you as you arrive home. I imagine it on an angled entry with a heavy patina, giving that first impression a bit of character and warmth.
q. quick fire: favourite chair, favourite building, favourite sandwich?
Favourite chair? The B33/34: slim, timeless, and just as good in a diner as it is in an office.
Favourite building? The Lyttelton Road Tunnel Administration Building. It feels inflated in form, heavy up top, but with those very Christchurch butterfly points and little crafted details that make it special.
And favourite sandwich? At the moment, the Katsu Sando from Bar Yoku. Apologies to Tom, but that one’s hard to beat.
