Waiwetu Street

Project Description

Situated down a long driveway on a private site is this 265 square meter single story home which is designed to make full use of the aspect of the stream to the north. The stream’s 10m set back, flood ponding area and covenants restricting the height of the building meant that the house had to be moulded to make full use of all space the site would allow. With the house reaching out to the limit of the restrictive building envelope, the full site is utilised with different ‘outdoor rooms’, including the drive-through garage with trailer parking at the rear out of sight. The house is designed to accommodate all aspects of family life; large living rooms opening out onto covered outdoor areas, secluded bedrooms, as well as good storage and service areas. Entering the house through the covered area you are met with a view down the entry way, out a picture window, to the outdoor entertaining area and the stream in the background. The lower ceiling in the entry gives a good contrast of compression to the large expansive ceiling in the open plan kitchen/living/dining room. Portal frames with skillion ceilings allow the living and master bedroom to take full advantage of the view to the north towards the stream and planting beyond. Careful detailing of the stone spine wall running the length of the entry and living rooms helps blur the line between the indoor and outdoor areas, and differentiates the ‘public’ to ‘private’ wings of the house. Design features and Creative Solutions Volume was added to the building with the use of portal frames and skillion ceilings, as well as blurred lines between indoors and outdoors with the use of exterior claddings to the interior and a large covered area to the exterior. Because of the large volumes of the internal spaces, the building was detailed to ensure the highest thermal efficiencies where possible. High quality materials were chosen and then showcased with thought through detailing. Stone walls with powder coated reveals, a built-in operable louver system and vertical cedar returning into recessed windows all combine to give the feeling of refinement. Living and outdoor areas where designed for entertaining with the two living rooms opening out onto the sunken covered outdoor area and fireplace. The retractable louvers in this area ensure that it can be used in all conditions while not restricting good weather use or darkening the adjacent rooms when not being used. The fireplace acts as the single support for this roof, giving the feeling that the roof floats above.