By Site Architecture
This beautiful timber clad coastal Christchurch home emulates forms of the bygone seaside cottages with asymmetrical gable forms accentuated by negative spaces between. The home is elevated on timber piles, reminiscent of a jetty projecting into the sea, anchored to the land and rocks by a concrete block garage. Our brief was to see the estuary from all living areas of the house. Due to the long narrow site, our design features a sheltered central courtyard that the bedroom space can see through and out to sea while also overlooking the pool. The living spaces are linked via glazing to ensure a view of the estuary right from the rear of the home. The home features open plan dining, kitchen, and casual seating areas as well as a separate lounge overlooking the water. 3 large bedrooms, an office and 2 bathrooms are spread over 3 split level floors. The lighter, natural cedar cladding complements the surrounding tussock Port Hills and the flaxpod roofing and aluminium joinery frames the views.
Spaces designed to make the everyday extraordinary.
Located in Christchurch, Site Architecture is a boutique studio established in 2018. At Site Architecture, we provide professional consideration to all aspects of the design and construction process. As well as commercial projects, we specialise in new residential architecture, renovations and hillside homes.
Don Roy
Don Roy of Site Architecture has had an award-winning career both as a key design collaborator in successful architectural firms and managing his own practice. He is a personable architect who focuses on creating a warm relationship with clients in a trustworthy and authentic way. Don’s vision is that the designer/client relationship should result in a built interpretation of their personality, aspiration, and dreams.
After travelling Europe, Don studied in Wellington in the early 2000s and relished learning design, art and theory. These disciplines continue to inform his architectural design practice. He is drawn to architectural movements such as Bauhaus, De Stijl, Group Architects and the Case Study Houses. Don is inspired by the essence of the conceptual idea shaping the built architectural plan, form, and architectural detailing, which informs his own creative process. He is particularly drawn to complex sites which challenge the design brief to respond in quirky ways.
His fundamental design response is to create a simple conceptual move, which is honestly progressed through the design development, ensuring the key essence is not diluted through over complication. He is drawn to natural materials and seeks to enhance them through clever design. Beautifully crafted objects and a “less is more” approach to living are themes informing his practice. He is intrigued by creating smaller homes which are rich in design, materiality, adaptable and flexible. Recently designing his own home, Don put these theories into practice to design a home that works and feels exactly as he always imagined.