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This new house replaces an old stucco one in a prime residential area in central Nelson. A semi-retired couple shifted from Christchurch following the 2011 earthquakes wanted a sound safe secure house with “little to low” maintenance. A 3 Bedroom and home office was designed in such a way that half could be closed off and the balance let out when the owners were away for 6 months at a time. The main Entry is directly off Brougham St and leads to the Master Bedroom, Living and Kitchen area and the second Entry by the Garage leads to a 3rd Bedroom and the Office. Outdoor living areas were to be provided along with a low maintenance garden.

Design Features & Creative Solutions

The design flow has the formal Entry from the street in the centre of the house. Master Bedroom and Ensuite is on the western side, receiving afternoon sun. The main Hallway takes you to the north side where the Living, Kitchen and Dining are situated.

To create a separate Living/Office area another Hallway leads you from the Entry to the right with all these rooms receiving morning sun. Located on the north side the Office receives all day sun. A second Entry is provided here to enable part of the house to be closed off while the owners are away.  

As the Owners had left Christchurch this house has been designed with an extra layer of plywood bracing along with the internal wallboard bracing to give them more peace of mind.

Cladding choices had to be low maintenance. Prefinished corrugated iron and painted fibre cement sheets with a negative expressed joint where chosen.

To make the most of Nelson sunshine decks were placed on either side, giving the option of morning or afternoon use. In the Dining area a bay window maximises the use of winter sun in the middle of the day.

The main bathroom has a spa bath, walk-in shower and sauna all with external views to courtyard deck and skylight for “starry night time”.

House area   243m²

David Todd Architectural Designers
Nelson
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About the
Professional

As a self employed architectural designer I have been in business in Nelson for 35 years. In that time I have designed many comfortable, modern and economical homes for clients here in Nelson as well as throughout the country. I have also undertaken design work for many commercial and industrial buildings, including retail/office buildings, education buildings and church and community facilities.

The biggest challenge is to give the client what they want within their budget expectations. This is achieved by discussing the project with them, the careful use of materials and planning the layout to make use of sun, view and location.

I operate my business from a dedicated office at home and over the years have employed staff. All work is completed on a computer using a architectural CAD programme call ArchiCAD. I am able to produce 3D pictures of the building as it will look in its surroundings. This helps the clients to fully understand what their project will look like when completed.

With the changes in legislation I keep up to date by attending seminars run by the industry and also ADNZ. Being a member also enables me to share ideas with fellow designers. I have been a member since 1988 and was given Life Membership of ADNZ in 2008. I have been a national president and local branch president as well as serving on the national executive.