Regional Award Winner
ADNZ award winner 2013 Brief: A home for a family that is timeless, comfortable, warm and eco-friendly, appropriate for the site and utilising natural materials, capturing the sun, light and views. Design Rationale: The house has been integrated into the hill-site and is surrounded by native bush capturing a vista looking down Lyttelton Harbour to the north east. Stone retrieved from the creek running through the site was used to create stone walls and a fireplace with back to back indoor / outdoor fires. Environmental design ethos was a high priority, environmentally sourced materials and recycled finishing timber have been use extensively in the house and joinery is solid timber rather than MDF. A reconditioned Rayburn range heats the hot water and also powers under floor heating, keeping the house at a constant cosy temperature throughout winter with low running cost. High sloping ceilings and a row of high level windows provide morning light and an uplifting spacial feel to the main living spaces, kitchen and bathrooms. The best view is enjoyed from the sheltered outdoor room which has a louvered roof and outdoor fireplace. Living spaces in both levels make for easy flow to the unique surrounding site and views. Passive solar design has been implemented well with stone and concrete providing the appropriate thermal mass.The home is future proofed and spatially efficient and the lower level can be used as a separate self contained dwelling. It will not date, partly due to the use of natural materials that provides a soft look and feel integrating well with its natural environment.