New social housing development built with strong green credentials

Worn-out 1940s duplexes have been transformed into a 6 Homestar Design-certified development with GJ Gardner Homes as head contractor the future of social housing in New Zealand just got brighter

Planning for the future. This Housing New Zealand aerial photography, bird's eye view, city, house, metropolitan area, mixed use, neighbourhood, photography, real estate, residential area, suburb, urban area, urban design — Planning for the future. This Housing New Zealand redevelopment is laid out to minimise visual impact from the now higher-density site while also looking at how the development dovetails with the wider setting.

GJ Gardner Homes was the head contractor on building, cloud, cottage, estate, facade, farmhouse, home, house, neighbourhood, property, real estate, residential area, sky, suburb, town, white

This Housing New Zealand Waterview development has achieved architecture, estate, facade, home, house, mixed use, neighbourhood, property, real estate, residential area, sky, white

The land these three old war-era duplexes used area, asphalt, estate, home, house, land lot, landscape, neighbourhood, property, real estate, residential area, road, road surface, roof, sky, suburb, town, tree, gray, white

Older state houses nearing the end of their economic life are being rapidly replaced in Auckland and across the country. Housing New Zealand is working with development partners to create a new breed of social housing. Today, Housing New Zealand has a very modern take on affordable homes, creating well-insulated, energy-rated, intelligently oriented houses that look like they're architect-designed because they are.

On a 3453m² site in the central Auckland suburb of Waterview, Housing New Zealand has transformed three run-down 1940s brick veneer duplexes into 17 modern social houses, engaging GJ Gardner Homes as the head contractor for the project.

GJ Gardner Homes was proud to be chosen for this ground-breaking project, says the leading home builder's managing director Grant Porteous.

"We take pride in creating homes that are warm, welcoming and design savvy, and this project is an extension of those values," says Porteous.

The development comprises ten two-bedroom homes, five three-bedroom homes and two four-bedroom homes. The site's transformation is typical of the work GJ Gardner Homes is undertaking for Housing New Zealand and other developer clients across Auckland to make more efficient use of land and build warmer, drier and safer homes for people.

The development, delivered under budget, has also achieved New Zealand Green Building Council 6 Homestar Design rating certification and has unique features, such as solar-powered street lights and recycled planter boxes for tenant use.

The design reflects innovative thinking in its site planning initiatives; recognising and building on existing neighbourhood development patterns to provide increased density in a manner complementary to the surrounding built environment. In addition, site planning strategies aimed to locate higher density duplex units further into the site, away from the street.

The contemporary building design, by architects Monk Mackenzie, uses a limited material palette and a number of key forms. Tall building masses, split-plan duplex layouts, rhythmically repeated gable roof forms and large, simple window compositions all help to modulate building mass and mitigate the development's visual density.

Perhaps one new tenant's quiet comment on the development says it all: "I love it and am thankful for it. It's much better than my previous property."

For details, contact GJ Gardner Homes, phone 0800 424 546. Web: www.gjgardner.co.nz