Design guidelines
The design guides help to ensure that all design and building projects meet our standards, and reflect our design principles.
The guides are for everyone involved in construction or building work on Kāinga Ora homes. It provides a consistent development model and a set of performance-based design guidelines.
They describe our design and build process from start to finish, making it an indispensable guide for anyone working or thinking about working on one of our housing projects.
Ngā Paerewa Hoahoa Whare: Design Requirements
Ngā Paerewa Hoahoa Whare: Design Requirements replaces the previous M-255 Housing Standard for all projects initiated from 1 January 2023.
It sets out the requirements for the design of all new public housing delivered by, and for, Kāinga Ora. Incorporation of these requirements into the design and construction of our homes enables us to meet our responsibilities as a government agency and long-term asset owner, while ensuring our customers are able to live well within their homes.
Ngā Paerewa Hoahoa Whare: Design Requirements [PDF, 3.5 MB]
Interior colour choices (M-250) [PDF, 314 KB]
Quality Homes Advisory Note - changes to threshold requirements (CA-GDL-019a) [PDF, 573 KB]
Masterplanning for Universal Design
Universal design is about creating places and spaces that welcome as many different people as possible. This guide shows how Kāinga Ora and its partners can use universal design to deliver inclusive and well-connected streets, developments and neighbourhoods.
Masterplanning for Universal Design uses two key measures: proximal accessibility and street-level accessibility to assess the public realm and identify improvements. It also contains a checklist to ensure that streets are S-O-S; Safe, Obvious and Step-Free, plus links to design standards and best practice guidance from New Zealand and overseas.
Masterplanning for Universal Design [PDF, 3.4 MB]
Tāone Ora: Urban Design Guidelines
These urban design guidelines outline our urban design expectations for the development of all Kāinga Ora housing - covering public, affordable and market housing across Aotearoa. These guidelines focus on the development of superlots and buildings. They consider neighbourhood context, making the most of the site and guidance focused on buildings that enables good urban design outcomes. These guidelines will support our organisation and our delivery partners, with the aim of ensuring that our work meets our core objective of delivering sustainable, thriving communities, which enable positive social and built outcomes.
This document replaces existing urban design guidance for all new projects initiated from 16th March 2023.
Tāone Ora: Urban Design Guidelines [PDF, 18 MB]
Ngā Tikanga Ārahi Pae Arotake Hoahoa: Design Review Panels Terms of Reference
These terms of reference outline design review processes, timeframes and documentation requirements for all Kāinga Ora Design Review Panels - covering public, affordable and market housing across Aotearoa. This document will support our organisation and our delivery partners to clearly navigate the design review process which is critical in ensuring all developments meet our design expectations.
This document replaces existing design review process guidance for all new projects initiated from 16th March 2023.
Ngā Tikanga Ārahi Pae Arotake Hoahoa: Design Review Panels Terms of Reference [PDF, 2.8 MB]
Toitū Te Whenua Toitū Te Kāinga: Landscape Design Guide For Public Housing
Landscape is a critical component of Kāinga Ora developments at all scales, and directly affects the health and wellbeing of our communities. The guide applies to Public Housing across all delivery programmes with the aim of ensuring that our work meets our core objective of delivering sustainable, thriving communities, which enable positive social outcomes.
This document replaces existing Landscape Design Guide for State Housing for all new projects initiated from 24th March 2023.
Toitū Te Kāinga: Landscape Design Guide For Public Housing [PDF, 18 MB]
The Retrofit Design Standard
The Retrofit Design Standard applies to new Retrofit Projects from 1 June 2024. If practicable, ongoing projects that began before 1 June will be reviewed by the Kāinga Ora Delivery Team according to these new guidelines (as long as there is no adverse impact on costs or work timelines for partners).
Retrofit Design Standard [PDF, 709 KB]
Solar photovoltaic (PV) ready building guide
This document provides guidelines for the design of Kāinga Ora buildings that are to include solar PV systems. It is provided as a resource to the Kāinga Ora Renewable Energy Trials and does not currently form part of the Kāinga Ora performance requirements (M-134/ M-135).
Solar Photovoltaic Building Design Guidelines [PDF, 908 KB]
Fences - Standard design sheets
If your property borders our property and you have plans for the fence-line, we may consider contributing to the cost of a new fence or an improvement to an existing fence, but you'll need to give us written notice.
Wire mesh timber fence details standard detail [PDF, 163 KB]
The proposed fence should meet our minimum fencing specifications.
Subdivision Plan Guide
The Subdivision Plan Guide provides guidance to external surveyors and build/development partners on subdivision scheme plans and Land Transfer plans to reflect Kāinga Ora operational and asset management requirements.
Download the Subdivison Plan Guide [PDF, 2.1 MB]
Homestar
CA-GDL-013 Guideline to Homestar v5 Transition Standard [PDF, 912 KB]
This guideline provides a comprehensive explanation of the Kāinga Ora Homestar v5 Transition Standard, including why Kāinga Ora is adopting the Transition Standard, key changes and important dates.
This guideline is designed to inform Kāinga Ora stakeholders of the expectation with regard to designing and specifying projects to comply with the Kāinga Ora Homestar v5 Transition Standard. It describes the process, the criteria for achieving the Transition Standard and evidence needed for Design and Construction approval.
For more information contact Homestardesign@kaingaora.govt.nz
Page updated: 5 September 2024