By Parsonson Architects
The house is not a bach but a home that has the relaxed casualness of seaside living with the solidity, enclosure and practicality of a family home. It is designed to allow good views and connection to the beach while still offering a good deal of protection from the elements.
Exterior materials flow from outside to inside expressing separate building forms, revealing layers, linking spaces and the interior and exterior, which does create a sense of encampment. The roof pitch follows the line of the land up and away from downpipes, which are drawn out of the ground. The layout is casual and flexible allowing response to the wind direction and sun. The east courtyard is sunny on the morning and sheltered from the north westerly. On the west side there are places to sit outside when it is calm and inside in the sun when its windy.
Photography: Patrick Reynolds.
Parsonson Architects was established in 1987 and is based in Wellington, New Zealand. The practice has focused primarily on individual houses and aims to produce work with a high level of sensitivity and discipline, engaging the spirit of each owner and site. More recently projects have included apartment buildings, retail fit outs in North America and Europe and competition entries across a variety of building types and project scales.
The practice is recognised as consistently delivering work of excellence, represented by the major awards and regular features in both local and international architecture and design publications.