About

In Praise.

ArchiPro Project Summary - In Praise of Shadows is a serene bathroom renovation in Nelson, NZ, completed in 2021, featuring natural materials and reflective layering, inspired by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's aesthetics, creating a tranquil retreat from bright, sanitized environments.

Title:: In Praise of Shadows
Architect:: Fineline Architecture
Category:: Residential/; Renovations and Extensions
Completed:: 2021
Photographers:: Fineline Architecture

In Praise of Shadows is a simple bathroom renovation made of shadows, reflections and disappearing corners. It is a homage to darkness and serenity and a quiet rebellion against the light, bright and sanitised bathroom environments.

It is a little cave where one can retreat and contemplate and where the beauty of natural and sustainable materials is revealed through dappled light and reflective layering.

The name In Praise of Shadows is borrowed from an essay by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki on Japanese aesthetics where walls and surfaces are mere supports for dimmed light and shadows to appear and disappear according to time and seasons.

Location: Nelson, NZ

Year: 2021

Stage: Completed

Tapware: Progetto Swiss

Vanity slab: Walnut natural timber, Java oil finish

Shower: Methven Turoa

Basin: Catalano Zero

Tiles: Rebel Night from Nelson Tile & Slate

Project Gallery

Views and Engagement

Products used

Swiss Wall Mount MixerPlumbline

$649

VJet Tūroa HandsetMethven

Tūroa Shower MixerMethven

Professionals used

Fineline ArchitectureArchitects

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

ECO HOMES

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SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

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PlumblineManufacturers and Suppliers

MethvenManufacturers and Suppliers

SHOWER SYSTEMS & HANDSETS

SHOWER TAPS & MIXERS

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SHOWER SYSTEMS & HANDSETS

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Fineline Architecture

Architects

Nelson

finelinearchitecture.co.nz

Fineline Architecture. Fineline is a Nelson-based architecture practice working across Aotearoa. Our work spans residential, hospitality and workplace projects, all underscored by a commitment to sustainable design. We create inspiring spaces for everyday people using resources that don't cost the planet. We design with passion and rigour to craft spaces that are beautiful, meaningful, healthy, and light on their environment. As solution-minded creative thinkers, we always seek well-detailed, simple and elegant outcomes. For us, a good project supports individuals to grow, communities to thrive and ecosystems to flourish. We firmly believe that each project holds the potential to reflect the uniqueness of its place and people who inhabit it. We are committed to delivering excellent service to our clients, offering guidance from project inception to the realisation of the built outcome. Fineline Architecture is led by NZRAB registered architects Magdalena Garbarczyk and Mathew Hay.