This home boasts spectacular outlooks and efficient passive temperature control

An elevated, exposed site often comes with drawbacks such as heat gain. Designed by architect Aaron Jones, of Urban Function Architecture, this clean-lined family home's response is passive and effective

The sloping roof of this home follows the

The central hall features floor-to-ceiling Oak ‘fins’ that

Views and comfort come together throughout the home

Floor-to-near-ceiling windows ensure ancillary spaces get their fair

Access to the ground floor bedroom spaces is

You've really arrived – indoor and outdoors are

Outdoors? Well, not strictly. All the views and

Touching the sky! Set on high, harbour, sea,

Designed by Aaron Jones, Urban Function Architecture

From the architects:

The owners presented us with a gently sloping site that at the right floor height gave up over 180 degree panoramic views from the City and Alps to the ocean, quite rare for this location to get all that. Fundamentally the brief was all about maximising that view and providing for the spaces a small growing family required.

With the views and this aspect come solar gain issues, so the ability to control temperature passively was a requirement.

Design response – features and creative solutions

Using a Go-pro strapped to a 5m pole we identified the best siting and height for the main living areas. We were surprised by the vastness of the view angles so set about arranging that main area around those view lines. The main hallway spine aligns to the Kaikoura ranges, so on entry you get visual transparency through the building, across the ocean and to the mountains on a clear day.

The sloping roof follows the natural slope angle of the site, but in reverse. This allowed us to compress the entry/garage areas and slowly reveal the views and sky through the gradual increase in space and volume.

Access to the ground floor bedroom spaces is via a light-filled stairwell, embraced by floor-to-ceiling Oak ‘fins’ that provide privacy to the shared driveway and play with light and shadow across the main entry gallery.

Heat gain from the large windows facing north is controlled by blackout and semi-blackout blinds connected to a thermostat that drop when the temperature rises during the day.

Cross ventilation in areas that still allow for daytime security is included as is an electric opening skylight at the rear of the hallway to vent warmer air. Allowing the building to breathe naturally through convection.

The building is clad in a mix of standing seam metal cladding for no maintenance and a naturally coated Cedar to both ground and soften the rear portion of the building.