Clutha River Concrete House: Stage 2

By Chaney & Norman Architects

Profile
banner

When we designed this house, almost a decade ago, it was always known that there would be a second stage in the form of a central pop-up second storey. But when the time came around to make it happen, the consideration of the actual form of the extension and how it adds to the original house, became a whole new design project in itself.

The original house was designed to be staged so that the family could build a small home straight away rather than having to wait until they could afford the larger home they had in mind. The house was made up of two wings forming a gentle gull wing structure. One wing comprised of an open kitchen/ dining/ living area, the other bedrooms and bathroom. A narrow glazed link between created a set back between the wings which provided for an outdoor living area to the north, but most importantly, space for an extension between the wings to the south.

The new design features a double car garage behind the house, which extends up to form a master bedroom suite on the upper level. From the north, this room sits balanced between the two wings below. The home now takes on a new aesthetic, whilst remaining sympathetic of the last. Upstairs, views to the north are grand. To the left are the hills of The Peninsula, with Mt Maude taking place at centre stage. Beyond and to the right lie the Hawea hills and ranges. This room sits as a periscope between its haunches – popping its head up above the reeds and the flaxes by the riverside.

The raw concrete materiality of the original house is expressed in the new extension. Although the extension doesn’t feature concrete panels like the original house, the concrete texture is mimicked with lightweight fibre cement panels. This continues the house’s grey textural finish, with accents of warm orange timber elements. Keeping the extension lightweight allowed for a cost effective build without adding in unnecessary earthquake bracing demands if we were to continue the concrete in the extension.

The benefits of staging a project should not be overlooked. Whilst staging does not suit all projects or sites, with others it can mean the difference between building the necessities now, or waiting another decade until you can afford your ‘end goal’ home. Allowing your home to grow with your family requires only a bit of thought in the early design stages to provide scope for extension later.

Chaney & Norman Architects
Otago
Get in touch
Visit Website

Professionals used in
Clutha River Concrete House: Stage 2

About the
Professional

At Chaney & Norman Architects,  great design and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do. By creating homes that are energy efficient with a high level of thermal performance, we deliver warm, healthy and comfortable homes that our clients love to live in.

Every client is unique, so good communication and well thought-out processes,  alongside high quality design, ensure that we create a home that best suits you and your lifestyle.  Each home is shaped in response to the local environment and to maximise the potential of the site and design brief.

We believe the journey through every project should be collaborative and fun. As a small but mighty practice, we are friendly and approachable, and we aim to make the creation of your home as enjoyable for you as it is for us.

We provide complete concept design, documentation, contract and site observation services for your project.

Our approach is nimble and flexible, responding to the individual needs of each client and project. We search for creative solutions to challenges by blending tried-and-tested methods with new technologies to achieve the best possible results for our clients and the environment.

Beth Chaney and Chris Norman formed a creative partnership in 2018, binging together a wealth of design experience and a mutual passion for sustainable, high performing homes.

The team works collaboratively, drawing on their collective experience to inform their designs. Previously known as Chris Norman Architecture, Chaney & Norman Architects has been helping clients realise their dream homes since 2009.