First Light Studio vs McKenzie Higham:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, McKenzie Higham had more branded searches than First Light Studio among wellington architecture firms in New Zealand. McKenzie Higham was estimated to have 160 branded searches compared to First Light Studio’s 140, and held a 24.2% Share of Search versus First Light Studio’s 21.2%.
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Which is more popular in search, First Light Studio or McKenzie Higham?
Compare Wellington architecture firms using branded search demand from across New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for McKenzie Higham, First Light Studio. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | McKenzie Higham | Architecture Plus | First Light Studio | Voxell | Foster + Melville Architects | Wright & Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 22.2% | 24.1% | 20.4% | 13% | 16.7% | 3.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 31% | 25.9% | 15.5% | 12.1% | 12.1% | 3.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 30% | 22.5% | 22.5% | 12.5% | 10% | 2.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 27.5% | 25.5% | 21.6% | 9.8% | 11.8% | 3.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 26.9% | 21.2% | 21.2% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 3.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 43.6% | 15.4% | 17.9% | 9% | 11.5% | 2.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 39.4% | 18.3% | 19.7% | 9.9% | 8.5% | 4.2% |
| May 2026 | 29.5% | 18% | 27.9% | 8.2% | 11.5% | 4.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 25.4% | 27% | 22.2% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 3.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 24.2% | 25.8% | 16.7% | 21.2% | 9.1% | 3% |
| Aug 2026 | 24.2% | 22.7% | 21.2% | 21.2% | 7.6% | 3% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the First Light Studio and McKenzie Higham comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- McKenzie Higham was ahead of First Light Studio in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, First Light Studio’s estimated Share of Search among wellington architecture firms in New Zealand moved from 20.4% to 21.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 110 to 140.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, McKenzie Higham’s estimated Share of Search among wellington architecture firms in New Zealand moved from 22.2% to 24.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 120 to 160.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand wellington architecture firms in August 2026?
2 changes

In August 2026, First Light Studio overtook Voxell to rank 3rd among wellington architecture firms in New Zealand, at 21.2%.
In August 2026, McKenzie Higham rose from 2nd to 1st among wellington architecture firms in New Zealand.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using First Light Studio’s and McKenzie Higham’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
First Light Studio
1 branded search term
- first light studio
McKenzie Higham
2 branded search terms
- mckenzie higham
- mckenzie higham architects

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