Committed to Queenstown and the South Island

Many of our clients have already had the pleasure of working with Jonathan Goss over the past year from his Queenstown base. We’re now delighted to formalise our presence there with his permanent appointment as Associate Director for the South Island. Jonathan brings a depth of experience shaped by landmark commercial and hospitality projects across New Zealand and internationally, and we’re excited to have him as part of the team.

SS: Tell us a bit about your background, and what brought you to Queenstown in 2019?
J: I’m passionate about creating engaging, memorable spaces and hospitality experiences that feel genuinely unique. With more than 25 years in the industry, I’ve worked across a wide range of project types and design challenges, including senior design and leadership roles that have shaped how I think about space and experience.
At heart, I’m an Interior Architecture and Design specialist, and I’m always drawn to projects where we can bring meaningful insight into how people move through and connect with environments – whether that’s hospitality, retail, or something completely different.
My move to Queenstown, in 2019, was as much about life as it was about work. I was looking for a shift in pace, somewhere the landscape genuinely shapes how you think and feel and Queenstown delivers that in a very immediate way. The mountains, the lake, the seasons… it naturally slows you down and makes you more present.
What’s surprised me most is the sense of community. It’s small and tight knit, but also incredibly international, people who’ve chosen to be here. That combination of nature, family and global perspective has really influenced both how I live and how I approach my work.

SS: What drew you to Space Studio?
J: What really drew me to Space Studio was the alignment in how we think about design. There’s a strong hospitality lens, but also a clear focus on being thoughtful, commercially aware and creatively ambitious.
I’ve always believed the best projects come down to people as much as the brief. When you have the right mix of personalities, curiosity and shared intent, the work naturally lifts. Joining the studio at a time when it’s growing its South Island presence felt like a great opportunity to be part of that momentum in a meaningful way.

SS: What excites you about designing in Queenstown?
J: Queenstown is a fascinating place to design for. It’s highly design aware, internationally influenced, and still evolving, which makes it an incredibly energising environment.
There’s a real appetite for projects that feel grounded in place — not imported ideas, but experiences that could only exist here. What I enjoy most is navigating that balance, responding to the raw, immersive landscape while also meeting the expectations of a global destination. When that alignment is right, the outcome feels genuinely special.

SS: Can you share a bit about the projects you currently working on?
J: Right now I’m working across a range of projects that reflect the diversity of the studio. The VOCO Queenstown conversion is a key one – an opportunity to reimagine an existing hotel through a more contemporary, experience-led lens.
Alongside these, I’ve contributed to projects including the Dunedin Airport landside upgrade, Provenance and Fuel to Fly F&B spaces, and Skippers Bar at Queenstown Airport. Across all of them, the common thread is collaboration – bringing together the right mix of people to create spaces that truly resonate.