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The Terrace House is a simple reflection of site, context and understanding of the occupants and how they choose to dwell - interact with each other and the surrounding hill environment.

Situated on the lower slopes of Bowenvale Valley, the Terrace House steps down a narrow site & is designed to integrate with the existing landscape at various floor levels.

The House is designed for a family of four with a focus on flexible interior and exterior spaces allowing for a combination of private and public space. Occupants can share family living areas, retreat to private snugs and enjoy the mature garden surrounds.

The lower main living level is oriented around a view shaft to the city & mountains beyond. The living area opens out to a deck with overhanging roof & forms a strong relationship with the existing trees, which provide a private space & key focus from the interior. The foreground views provide connection from the interior through glazing to the north east facing facade, as an extension of the living space.

Connection to the terraced floor levels is provided by a circulation volume opening to a north facing sheltered courtyard at the lower & mid-bedroom levels. The space angles to create a subtle widened entry & incidental living zones on the edge of the courtyard. A timber lined core contains bedrooms, mezzanine & snug spaces to retreat from the generally open plan living & stair volume. The third level contains a private master bedroom with views over the courtyard & across the valley beyond.

The house whilst modest in scale, feels generous due to the connection of various floor levels & spaces opening off the volume. The design process & budget constraints placed importance on the quality of spaces rather than expensive finishes & the choice of materials is kept to a simple palette.

The building form follows the site & consists of two interlocking angular forms, orientated to enclose the courtyard - an enveloping of space. Overhangs & a screened verandah, provide an environmental buffer to interior spaces & covered connection to the outdoors. The exterior material palette is simple & cost effective with metal cladding to the rear elevations, timber cladding & detailing adjacent to the exterior living areas. The cladding colours are chosen to evoke the Port Hills context, with low dry stone terraced walls connecting the house to its site.

Sheppard & Rout Architects
Canterbury
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Terrace House
Terrace House
Terrace House
Terrace House
Terrace House
Terrace House
Terrace House
Terrace House
Terrace House

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Terrace House

About the
Professional

We aim to produce humanist architecture comprised of stimulating and inspirational spaces and places.

We are a design-based practice that believes in providing tailor-made solutions to an individual client's needs. The fundamental objective of the practice is to develop architecture that is appropriate to its specific site, wider context and intended use while being robust, flexible and environmentally-aware.

These variables are used along with the appropriate structural considerations to develop buildings with well-suited form and style, instead of approaching the design from a stylistic standpoint.

The practice was established in 1982 in Christchurch by David Sheppard and Jonty Rout. In its 40 years the practice has carried out a wide range of projects covering many types and in numerous geographic locations. The founding partners brought to the practice extensive design and construction experience gained while working with other offices in both New Zealand and overseas. Tim Dagg joined Sheppard & Rout in 1986 and Jasper van der Lingen in 1993 and they both joined David Sheppard as Directors in 2006.

With David Sheppard now retired and Jonty very sadly passed away the practice is led by Directors Jasper van der Lingen and Tim Dagg and three Associate Directors; Matt Gutsell, Jonathan Kennedy and Steven Orr.