Led by Founder and Chairman Nigel McKenna, Templeton Group draws on decades of experience across residential, tourism, and mixed-use development, particularly in New Zealand. With a background that includes the development of eight hotels and extensive involvement in large-scale urban projects, McKenna has shaped Templeton into a diversified developer with a clear identity and a tightly held philosophy. As he puts it, “With the exception of prisons, we’ll do anything with a bed in it.” That breadth has seen Templeton deliver projects across aged care, student accommodation, social and affordable housing, multigenerational living, standalone homes, townhouses, high-density residential, hotels, and tourism assets—always with an emphasis on quality, context, and design integrity. CONTEXT AS A FIRST PRINCIPLE What most clearly sets Templeton Group apart is its uncompromising focus on context. Every project begins not at the site boundary, but well beyond it—often literally from the air. McKenna describes getting into a helicopter to understand where a site sits within its wider landscape, its relationship to surrounding communities, and its long-term potential. This approach is informed by a philosophy drawn from New Zealand’s Māori worldview, where land ownership is better understood as guardianship. Developers, in this view, are temporary custodians of land, responsible for leaving it better than they found it. “That mindset changes everything,” McKenna explains.“You’re not just delivering a project. You’re shaping a place that will outlive you.” This commitment to stewardship manifests in master planning that prioritizes integration, walkability, public realm activation, and long-term adaptability— whether in greenfield developments or complex brownfield urban sites. DESIGN AS BOTH DISCIPLINE AND PASSION The second defining pillar of Templeton Group is design. Architecture, interior design, landscape, and urban form are not outsourced considerations—they sit at the core of the company’s identity. Design, McKenna says, is not only his profession but his passion. Internally, the philosophy is simple and non-negotiable: Templeton does not do ugly. This ethos has driven Templeton’s involvement in some of New Zealand’s most influential urban developments.Among the most personally significant for McKenna is Beaumont Quarter, a high-density residential project completed more than 25 years 35 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 08, ISSUE 01 TEMPLETON GROUP
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx