Housing and property are New Zealand obsessions, as reflected on-screen in shows from The Elegant Shed to The Block. Hosted by Peter Elliott (Captain’s Log, Explorers), 2014 series The Art of the Architect highlights the role of the architect in each build. Eight one-hour long episodes follow architects as they respond to the challenges of sites, budgets, client demands, and the New Zealand environment. The designs range from private homes to community projects. Building delays led to the TVNZ series taking over four years to film.

Houses have long been central to New Zealand's identity, from the whare to the quarter-acre pavlova paradise, to The Block and the 2000s Auckland bubble. This TVNZ ‘home show’ looks at the obsession, circa the early 90s: exploring contemporary grand designs, renovation dilemmas, and meeting Kiwi personalities of the era in their homes. The first of four series was presented by actor Jennifer Ward-Lealand and builder (and future Dunedin mayor) Dave Cull. Jim Hickey and Jude Dobson later joined Cull. The show spawned a 1994 book written by Cull and Stuart Niven.