Apihai Street

Our clients asked their Architect for something different and fun and dramatic, but comfortable and private too. A house fit for entertaining with a strong connection to the outdoors using robust materials with lots of character….not your average build.  Being in the yachting industry, our clients have always liked the scale and drama of industrial spaces, and the honesty of the materials and exposed structure. The pairing back to only those items which are essential, is endemic to the yachting industry and this was the approach taken to show cases the very materials that make the building. Nothing is hidden or glossed over. The building is set out with a two storey concrete form along the south boundary to make the rest of the site private and sheltered. The roof extends over double height living and outdoor spaces with two storey chimneys completing the structure. High open spaces add drama to an otherwise normal suburban setting. The large cantilevered roof protects 6 metre high steel doors from wind sun and rain, and a clerestorey lights the interior. The double height living spaces are served by two levels of private, bedrooms and bathrooms beyond.  All materials retain their off form character and we weren’t to be fussy in selection. Unadulterated concrete block with deep square raked joints is off set with corten steel, bagged blockwork and solid timber floors. Marble tiles, kauri ply linings, and considered areas of colour make the home. Cedar battened ceilings and a full height velvet curtain softens the acoustics. The interior doors from the original state house were simply painted rather than refurbished, to retain their character and gloss paint was used for the same effect. Timber or concrete benches with waxed steel frames and knotty oak inlays complete the picture. This city house is dramatic yet humble, bold but sincere, different and fun. The result is so much more than our clients can ever imagined. It works as a modern architectural statement, highly durable, yet comfortable and private too.