ADNZ REGIONAL AWARD WINNER 2015

This home was created for a young professional couple in the heart of Cambridge. Their brief called for a striking, easy care home with a contemporary feel.  Top of their wish list was to capture & frame stunning South Western valley views.

Designed for a small, sloping, difficult site this project presented us many challenges such as large setbacks, tight height to boundary rules & site coverage restrictions, and a protected Silver Birch tree on site.

We worked through these issues, collaborating closely with our clients in the creation of their dream home!

Specific client requests included:

·         3 bedrooms plus office.  Master bedroom with ensuite

·         North facing deck to capture the northern sun

·         Open plan, light & airy living spaces

·         Striking feature entrance

·         Modern mono pitch design featuring clean lines

Design features and creative solutions

Our response was a carefully considered floor plan to ensure the 35% site coverage restriction was satisfied.  We also recommended the site be excavated & lowered to expose optimal soil for a sound building platform & to minimize privacy issues due to close neighboring properties.  Levelling and lowering the site also enabled us to work more easily with tight height-boundary restrictions, and to be more creative with roofs lines and the overall design & aesthetic of the home.

The large protected silver beech tree situated on the site also presented its’ challenges.  Towering over the south east corner, building was not permitted under the tree’s drip line.  We worked closely with local council arborists to manipulate the building envelope and situate the building appropriately to satisfy council requirements.

To capitalize on northern & southern views, passive design elements had to be compromised in places.  An open plan living area, study and north facing deck were situated upstairs, with large glazing units on the northern & southern faces. Screens were utilized to alleviate the impact of northern sun.   A glazed full height entry stairwell was designed incorporating an oblique (hardwood) staircase cantilevered over a central stringer.  Oblique screens act as a feature balustrade & allow morning sun to filter throughout the kitchen & downstairs areas.