WINDOW ON THE WORLD

Designed by architect Richard Priest, the home pictured here was built on an elevated site previously occupied by an uninspiring 1950s house.

Rather than remodel the original house to suit the owners' needs, Priest opted to start afresh with a new concrete-block structure.

The home is built on three levels, with the entrance on the middle storey. This floor also contains a guest suite, with two bedrooms and a large living area with its own kitchenette. Below this is garaging and storage. The owners occupy the home's top level, which includes an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. The master suite is located behind the kitchen.

"I would describe its design as modernist, with influences from minimalist Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza," says Priest. "When it came to the overall design, we were given quite a free rein. The owners' only request was to maximise views and locate everything on the top living level."

The expansive glazed openings, which fill the home's concrete-block construction, transform it into a kind of viewing space, says Priest. This is especially true of the upper level, which acts as a raised platform, from which the owners can enjoy views of the sea and city on one side, and views of their garden on the other.

In keeping with the large windows, spacious, light rooms are an important aspect of the design. Rather than dominating the living environment, this home's architecture provides a subtle backdrop for the owners' lives and personal possessions.

Because the view is such an important feature, the owners wanted to keep the interior as simple as possible, so as not to compete with it.

Architect Andrew Bolton, who worked with Priest on the interior design, says the owners stressed that they didn't want the home to date.

"For this reason, they didn't want to adhere to a specific style of interior design. Instead, the decor needed to be really simple and uncluttered, based on modernist lines."

Story by: Trendsideas