The site is situated high above a gully with views towards the Hakarimata Range. On all other sides the building envelope is hemmed in and overlooked by the nearby neighbours.
The design responds to this context by using the form of the house to divide the site into various outdoor zones. To the north a sheltered outdoor area opens onto a protected lawn while to the west an elevated deck enjoys evening sunsets and provides openness toward the adjacent gully.
With grown children who have left home, the owners required a house that could be easy occupied by two people with intermittently used guest spaces situated in a separate wing. The layout seeks to minimise unnecessary circulation and allow public and private spaces to exist in close proximity. Privacy between these spaces is maintained by carefully restricting sight lines and forming discretely communicated but discernible thresholds.
The identical gable ends are treated with cedar rainscreens while recessed elements are clad in bagged brick. Each material is assigned a role and used accordingly. Matt grey standing seam roofing and bespoke gutters are carefully detailed to contribute to a clean restrained aesthetic.
- Editorial and images supplied by Holcroft Prestige Limited
