What drives a successful architect who’s designed workplaces around the world to return home and start a mission to “un-boring” New Zealand’s offices? For Gwynn Hoskins, co-founder of No More Boring, the answer lies in the untapped potential he saw across many New Zealand workplaces.
Global workplace design
Gwynn spent years as an architect living in San Francisco helping design some of the world’s most dynamic workplaces. As a Director of Global Accounts on the Enterprises team at WeWork, Gwynn’s role was to coordinate sales and real estate teams to align on complex client deal, Workplace Strategy, and scoping packages, while leading global and regional design and construction teams to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery while managing client expectations through project delivery.
“Working alongside global companies such as Stripe, Facebook and Amazon taught me that great workplace design isn’t about following trends,” Gwynn reflects. “It’s about understanding how people – both as teams and individuals – actually work and creating spaces that amplify the unique culture of the company and also employees their natural abilities.”
But after years of designing for international markets, and a longer than planned stay in New Zealand due to Covid-19 – something was pulling him back to Aotearoa, New Zealand.
The Kiwi Disconnect
When Gwynn returned to New Zealand in 2020, he experienced a design and innovation disconnect. Here was a nation renowned for innovation, creativity, and forward-thinking—yet walking into many workplaces felt like stepping back in time.
“New Zealand punches above its weight in so many areas,” Gwynn explains. “Our tech sector is world-class, our creative industries are globally recognised, and Kiwi ingenuity is legendary. But too many of our work environments don’t reflect that energy and innovation.”
He saw the disconnect everywhere: brilliant teams cramped into uninspiring spaces, creative companies housed in sterile offices, and innovative businesses surrounded by beige walls and fluorescent lights. The contrast with his international experiences was stark.
The STILL Partnership
The turning point came when Gwynn connected with STILL, an organisation dedicated to championing sustainable, impactful businesses across New Zealand. Their philosophies aligned perfectly: both believed that New Zealand’s workplaces should reflect the creativity and values of its people.
“Meeting the STILL team felt like finding kindred spirits,” Gwynn says. “They understood that transforming workplaces isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about creating environments where people can do their best work while feeling good about being there.”
This shared vision sparked something bigger than either could have achieved alone: No More Boring was born.
Nature as the Secret (and Simple) Ingredient
Drawing from his international experience, Gwynn recognised that New Zealand had a unique advantage: an inherent connection to nature that could revolutionise workplace design. His approach integrates biophilic principles—bringing natural elements into built environments—with strategic spatial planning.
“We’re not just adding plants to corners,” Gwynn emphasises. “We’re reimagining how nature can be woven into every aspect of workplace design to create spaces that feel alive and energising.”
The Mission Continues
Today, Gwynn’s work focuses on transformation rather than renovation. Taking existing spaces—whether new but uninspiring or tired from years of neglect—and reimagining them into environments where people genuinely want to spend time and do their best work.
“Every project starts with the same question: how do we make this space reflect the brilliant people who work here and the goals of the organisation?” Gwynn explains. “When we get that right, everything else follows—productivity, creativity, wellbeing, and that intangible sense of pride in where you work.”
For Gwynn Hoskins, coming home to New Zealand wasn’t stepping backward—it was stepping into the future of workplace design.
"We’re reimagining how nature can be woven into every aspect of workplace design to create spaces that feel alive and energising." - Gwynn Hoskins
