Northcott Residence
By Imagine Architecture
The brief from the client was for a modernist style house which would embrace their 1960’s eclecticism, harness the panoramic ocean views and be an enduring design for a special location. In designing this house the form and proportions were inspired from the designer’s research into the work of Marcel Breuer and the Bauhaus movement. This is especially evident in the southern street approach with the timber siding, floating box forms and cubist layering.
The 3 bedroom, 2 living room home also needed to accommodate three cars, a boat, kayaks and numerous surfboards. The solution was provided with a generous double garage and a 2 bay carport which has been carefully positioned as a portal to frame the coast and surf beyond.
The plan solution was to split the house over two levels connected via a central stair lobby and a lift. The upper level contained main living spaces, master suite and library. The lower level containing a further two bedrooms and living room. With adult children the idea is that the owners could live upstairs in their 1 bedroom “apartment” with the flexibility to use the lower level for family and visitors as required. Positioning main living on the upper level enabled the coastal views to be fully embraced and it was elevated to ensure the beach was visible over the sand dunes. All bedrooms and living spaces were oriented to the north for both sun and views. The utility, bathroom and storage spaces are all positioned to the south.
The ocean façade features extruded wall and soffit profiles. Their practical application supports the low-tech, passive solar design approach of harnessing and managing the sun’s energy through abundant north facing glazing and storing it in the thermal mass of masonry walls and insulated concrete floor slabs. To cool the house a thin plan allows excellent cross-flow ventilation enhanced by the stack effect of the entrance atrium. Spacing of the cedar slats to the north were calculated to block the high angle summer sun and let in the low angle winter sun.
Supplementary heating is by a log fire for the upper level and a hydronic water in-slab floor heating system to the lower.
The entry foyer provides a dramatic central connecting axis to the house. 1960’s influences include the steel balustrading fixed to cantilevered stair treads and a “very hard to source” stunning green, 100% wool carpet providing the background to the period furniture, fixtures and fittings. The carpet colour was then taken outside through the custom tinted painted plaster walls.
Sustainable Tasmanian Oak is used throughout the house. All joinery including the kitchen, library and wardrobes were designed as part of the commission with the motif to the front of the kitchen repeated on the beach access gate. At 3.4m the upper level ceiling creates a dramatic canopy which extends out over the large purple heart timber deck. A full photometric study was done to ensure artificial light levels via LED, halogen and compact fluorescent fixtures would be fit for purpose.
Professionals used in
Northcott Residence
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Imagine Architecture
About the
Professional
Imagine Architecture (formally Imagine Building Design) is a multi-award winning architectural design practice that has been in business since 2002 with specialist expertise in Residential and Commercial design. Our practice has evolved through many iterations over the years. From starting in a shoebox home office, to growing into occupying historic premises at the Kings Building in New Plymouth, then to a sleek downtown high street practice. We have now gone back to our roots with small studio setups for Tony Biesiek out of Think Co in Tauranga and Steven Dixon in New Plymouth.
“Changing lives through great architecture & design”. That is the mission of Imagine Architecture. Since 2002, we have sought to infuse that mission into every project. Our designs are for high performance buildings that change lives. To achieve this, we combine aesthetics & energy efficiency with comfort & architectural appeal, function & use of space with quality interaction with the environment.
This approach is applied across all our projects irrespective of size or budget. We believe there is opportunity in every project to make better choices. This is accomplished thanks to better decision making to improve the quality of the space experienced by its occupants. Merely meeting minimum building code requirements is not enough. Exceeding minimums is the key to better buildings, be they new architectural homes or commercial structures. Optimum performance ahead of minimum compliance every time. Architecture with attitude!
Imagine Architecture aspires to uphold the Pritzker Architecture Prizewinner Glenn Murcutt’s ideal: ‘to touch the earth lightly’. This means we look at how nature has crafted the environment to this point in time, and form our design in relationship to that. For example, we have sculpted designs to the land, rather than the land to the design. Nature has brought us those spaces, so we strive to design structures to be harmonious with that nature. As custodians we seek to protect the environment through diligent stewardship and utilisation of the best high performance technology.
Our experience in over 1000 commissions to date is wide and diverse. In addition to servicing Bay of Plenty and Taranaki, we have commissions throughout New Zealand and have projects in Australia and Italy. In this modern age, geography is no barrier to delivering architectural excellence. The Imagine Architecture team's track record shows an ability to adapt quickly to client changes, government legislation and technical site situations. We have specialist experience in:
Residential homes and renovations
- Sustainable and Energy Efficient architecture
- Recreation & Parks facilities
- Apartments & Townhouses
- Mobility design and disabled access
- Retirement homes
- Gymnasia
- Schools & ECE
- Property development & investment units
- Industrial facilities
- Restaurant and retail design
- Shipping Container buildings
- Feasibility Studies
- Motels and Motor Lodges
Imagine Architecture promotes itself on the principle of “relationship marketing”. A large number of commissions come to Imagine Architecture by way of referrals from existing clients. This method of marketing reflects our philosophy of creating quality relationships with clients. This is achieved by friendly, clear and up front communication matched with a quality design service that meets the aesthetic, functional & financial requirements of the client.
Imagine Architecture is the experienced team to use if you are looking for innovative design that respects the environment, quality technical documentation, superior service through excellent communication.
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