A premium, North-East facing wetlands site within the desirable Cambridge sub-division of St Kilda provided the perfect building platform for a contemporary & striking multi-unit dwelling.

The brief here was extremely 'loose', allowing us to exercise our artistic licence in all areas.  Our client requested a contemporary & sophisticated duplex dwelling with an up-market ‘flavour’.  They requested clean lines & a modern, 3 bedroom floor plan that capitalised on the impressive surrounding wetland, rural & mountain views. This project called for us to ‘pre-empt’ the requirements of future purchasers, and design a dwelling that aesthetically & functionally possessed mass appeal, as both homes were to be sold upon completion.

Specific Client Requests

• Privacy within each dwelling was critical
• Maximum connectivity between indoor & outdoor spaces - and vistas beyond!
• Capitalise on the stunning surrounding views
• Modern & easy flow floor plan 

Site & Building Challenges

• Height to boundary restrictions given a dwelling of this size & scale
• Site impermeability restrictions – resource consent required if impermeable surfaces exceeded 700m2
• Challenge of designing a dwelling on the 1396m2 site that satisfied all aspects of the brief whilst complying with site restrictions & set back rules
• Privacy issues given the close proximity of both units

Design Features

The decision was made to design a 2 storey dwelling.  This provided the master bedroom with an elevated vantage point for the enjoyment of the surrounding vista, whilst reducing the buildings overall foot print & overcoming site impermeability issues.  

The height to boundary restrictions were addressed with careful first floor placement – it was critical this area was well proportioned and balanced on both sides of the duplex to achieve the desired contemporary aesthetic.  Parapets & hidden roofs were used to enhance the modern feel and reduce the buildings ‘bulk’, whilst enabling PV panels to be concealed.  The contemporary aesthetic was enhanced with vertical cedar panelling, Hardies Linea and Stria board (finished in Resene Triple Seafog & Stack respectively) and Matt Charcoal roofing/joinery elements were selected.

The floor plan was designed with the full spectrum of possible home owners in mind.  The open plan, closely connected internal spaces were designed for modern family living whilst accommodating future lift requirements. 

To address the need for privacy & maximise light penetration, the floor plan called for maximum separation between the 2 living pods, and the use of high level windows on adjacent walls.  Large door units were used to maximise light penetration & enjoyment of the beautiful surrounding landscape.

Connectivity between the inside & outside spaces was created by using a corner-less stacking slider door unit opening onto a large Louvretech covered facing entertaining deck.  Screening walls and landscaping features were also utilised to maximise privacy & connect the home, garden & natural environment beyond.