Westmere House, Auckland

By PeterFell

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An urban family homestead built on a wide harbour site, Westmere House by Ponting Fitzgerald Architects explores the notions of endurance and solidity.

“The clients wanted a house that exuded a timeless permanence; to create a structure with an inherent sense of history and gravitas. No other material can compete with concrete in creating that sense; that level of character,” says architect David Ponting.

With the design of the house, David says he wanted to expand on the idea of permanence as being something that extends both backwards and forwards through time.

“We wanted the site to read as if someone had stumbled across a set of ruins in which the only remains are a series of concrete forms. To this we have overlaid an arrangement of cedar-clad planes, which have made the structure habitable again and extended its life.”

The finished result is about the expression of concrete within the landscape, says David.

“Massive walls ground a series of dynamic yet functional spaces with, conceptually, no delineation between indoors and outdoors. The only way to make that work was to ensure a singularity of materials. Concrete offers almost unlimited possibilities from the slickly smooth polished floors to the highly textural board-formed walls.

“Peter Fell was instrumental in helping us achieve the end result, lending their expertise and technical knowledge to the project, especially as we were looking for a formulation twice the strength of normal concrete. Furthermore, Peter Fell was able to provide a sealant for the concrete that does not detract from the natural concrete finish. Their penetrating sealer was able to protect the panels from wear and tear, without compromising the raw natural aesthetic.”

 

Architect: Ponting Fitzgerald Architects
Photographer: Simon Devitt Photographer
Featured: ArchiPro 

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Westmere House, Auckland

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PeterFell - Specialist in Coloured Concrete

PeterFell has been the market leader in decorative concrete products since 1991. Our products are the best available and our service and support second to none. The PeterFell System provides a toolbox of options to create unique concrete patios, paths, drives, floors and walls.

Best Colour: PeterFell Limited's rich, deep colours are created right here in New Zealand using a blend of German-crafted Bayferrox pigments in a concentrated liquid.

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