Out of the box

Building a house in a lofty position to take advantage of a great view will usually expose the property to extremes of weather.

Pilbrow Residential faced this challenge when building a house in a prominent spot overlooking Wellington Harbour. It had to have enough large windows to drink in the breathtaking panorama, yet be snug despite the bitter winds for which the city is infamous.

To give Pilbrow's team of architects more of a headache, the design brief was for a large family home, but the section was a relatively small460m² and steep, and council regulations placedrestrictions on the building height.

Mike Davies of Hunt Davies Tennent Architects came up with an innovative design solutionusing a contemporary architectural form.

"We excavated into the side of the hill and instead of putting a standard two-storey house onto the site, which slopes in two directions, we broke it up into three, two-storey, cubic elements which are offset from one another," he says.

This approach holds a number of advantages, but first and foremost, it allows a large portion of the home to nestle below the ridge line to the south, sheltering it from the prevailing nor' west winds. It also means that the house, which is entered from the northern side, appears less bulky and obtrusive from the road because it sits lower on the site.

Two of the three cube elements are clad with James Hardie linear weatherboards a material chosen for the job over timber for its greater structural stability and durability.

Windows protrude through this weathertight skin by way of custom-designed flashings, an architectural feature that Davies feels enhances the appearance of the exterior.

It also provides for deep sills on the interior, an attribute usually found only in houses with thicker brick or concrete walls, and that consequently lends a feeling of seclusion and protection.

The third cube is fabricated from more lightweight and transparent materials. It is clad in flush linings, has large glass windows and doors, and is embraced on either side by the two more solid cubes to provide shelter. This cube is orientated towards the best of the harbour panorama, and houses the formal, public areas of the home.

Although the house is split over six levels, Davies says the open-plan living areas and double height dining room create good flow between interior spaces and levels, and allow different areas of the house to feel unified and connected.

Pilbrow Residential is a family business, which specialises in building executive homes. Clients are involved throughout the design process from exterior detailing to kitchen layout. The company has worked hard to establish partnerships with suppliers who exceed their clients' expectations in terms of professionalism and quality.

For more information contact, Pilbrow Residential, phone (0800) Pilbrow (745 276).Website: www.pilbrow.co.nz. Or visit the showhome in Tamworth Crescent, Newlands, Wellington, open daily between 10am and 4pm.

Story by: Trendsideas