Dress circle

When a large piece of land in a well-known and highly visible part of the city becomes available for redevelopment, the new owner and project architect have a joint responsibility to design a building that takes best advantage of the site and looks appropriate to the area, both close up and from a distance.

So when architect Colin Leuschke was asked to design an apartment complex for the site once occupied by the White Heron Hotel at Point Resolution above the Parnell Baths in Auckland, he took it very seriously. The site, at the end of one of the city's top residential streets, is highly visible from Tamaki Drive.

"I felt it was important for our design to maximise the views and sun, work with the scale and style of homes in the rest of the street and continue to look good for many years to come," he says.

Leuschke decided on a concept that included two buildings on opposing axes. One building runs east to west across the site, while the other is on a north-to- south axis. This design creates a volume, in the form of a central drum, between the two buildings, which provides a driveway and turning circle, parking for visitors' cars and, equally importantly, ensures maximum light into each apartment. And, by angling the two buildings in different directions, every apartment gains its own individual aspect. All enjoy views of the harbour, some have outlooks towards the city and others look over Point Resolution and Hobson Bay.

The siting of the drum also creates a degree of separation between this new complex and the apartments next door, ensuring the privacy of both is respected as much as possible.

"Because of the location of the site at the end of a residential road, we considered that most visitors were likely to arrive by car. Visitors drive through the main gates into the drum where parking is provided. This creates a positive and welcoming sense of arrival," says the architect.

A different, more intimate pedestrian entrance, meanders from the street along paths and gardens, ensuring those arriving on foot have an equally enjoyable first experience of the apartments. The entry lobbies of both buildings are also accessed from the drum. Residents drive on down to their own parking areas discreetly located beneath each block.

Because of the slope of the site, the two buildings were designed so they do not appear out of scale with the largely two-storey residential homes lining the rest of the street. From the footpath, only two levels of the four-storey buildings are visible.

"We deliberately designed the apartments to capture the gentility of the neighbourhood. While the buildings have substance and stature once you are inside the property, from the street they appear to be built on a similar scale to neighbouring homes," says Leuschke.

Each of the 21 apartments in the complex has been individually designed to respond to its location within the buildings, with extensive glazing on the seaward side to ensure views and sunlight are maximised. On most levels there are four apartments, each laid out with living areas and master bedrooms facing the views, and kitchens, bathrooms, second and third bedrooms layered towards the back of the apartments. However, because of the overall design of the site, with the drum behind the buildings, these spaces also have good access to light, sun and views.

Story by: Mary Webb