













King George
The brief called for a 4 house development on a site in Epsom which had previously housed a large old villa divided into flats. The client lived in one of the flats and wanted to stay in the same location but upgrade to something more modern.
Epsom, like many Auckland suburbs is home to a considerable amount of infill housing, a lot of this dating to the 80’s when architectural design was not uppermost in developers minds. The result is a hodge podge of uninspiring multi-unit residences with very little to recommend them apart from the location. This is not one of those developments.
The top floor of each house is identical in plan and the materials repeat throughout but that is where the similarity ends. Each house feels very much like a stand alone entity not a cookie cutter facsimile.
The asymmetrical gable roof of each has been rotated by 90 degrees, making them look and feel very different from each other and the exterior cladding on house number 2 retains its natural colour, in contrast to the black stain of the other houses, a delightful anomaly.
Each house has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a garage cum laundry, providing ample amenity for a family. The large living space opens directly from the front door, however this is cleverly delineated by the exposed stair which acts both as a design feature and also provides a sense of entry.
The living room feels spacious and light, opening onto a private terrace and the kitchen and dining room, this in turn boasts a second terrace, the concrete wall provides a stunning visual backdrop and runs from the front of the house to outside.
The pre cast concrete panels have been textured with a horizontal pattern, this plays against the patterning created by the timber battens in the stair screens, and the pergolas and fencing throughout the project.The materials play with contrast from the warmth of the timber used throughout to the cooler concrete and stone bench top.
Photo Credit - Emma-Jane Hetherington
No project details available for this project.
Request more information from this professional.
We're an architecture and design studio creating warm spaces for human connection. We believe architecture thrives on play and exploration, where clever solutions and clear dialogue create a dynamic interplay between all the elements of a project, bringing them all into balance.
Our directors, Tim Dorrington and Sam Atcheson, have spent over twenty years developing a design philosophy that's playful, balanced and inclusive. Clever solutions to interesting challenges are one of the hallmarks of our work, as is an eternally-youthful enthusiasm for creating truly transformative design. We like to think of it as delivering just enough surprise to truly delight our clients.
We're proud of the impact our team has made on the built environment of Aotearoa, with multiple NZIA Awards to our name and a roster of happy clients. We specialise in residential projects, but have also had success with retail and commercial environments.
Our approach is highly collaborative. While we often draw on the rich lineage of mid-century modernism, we're not design dictators. Every project is a response to site, budget and our clients dreams and objectives. It's an honest and open process, which reflects in the materiality of our buildings and the experience of the spaces we create.
Our design philosophy:
playful, human, balanced, clever, inclusive, transformative.
Start you project with a free account to unlock features designed to help you simplify your building project.
Learn MoreShowcase your business on ArchiPro and join industry leading brands showcasing their products and expertise.
Learn More