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The brief called for a family home maximising sun and views, with open-plan kitchen/living/dining, overhanging eaves, and covered decks for year-round outdoor living. Materials needed to be low-maintenance, with Palm Springs-style references acknowledging the clients’ mid-century modern sensibilities. These inclinations weren't surprising – one of the clients had grown up in a home designed by her architectural draughtsperson father, carrying forward a deep appreciation for Modernist design.
The house is oriented north for optimal sun, views and privacy. Morning sun streams into the kitchen's outdoor room — a sheltered spot with high-level glazing and glass ceiling, usable in all weather conditions. A northern covered deck provides sun-drenched outdoor space, while a southern deck offers respite on hotter days. The main bedroom enjoys its own private deck.
We created distinct zones within the 241m² footprint — a separate wing housing guest bedrooms, bathroom, office and linen storage can be closed off when not in use, providing the couple privacy when home alone.
The design language combines mid-century roots with contemporary execution. Brick exterior walls continue inside, providing tactile warmth and a beautiful backdrop for the clients’ mid-century collection. Timber flooring, striking exposed beams, and timber cabinetry complete the aesthetic. The angled rooflines and flat-roofed carport reference classic mid-century forms while delivering a thoroughly modern home suited to contemporary living.
We're an architecture and design studio creating warm spaces for human connection. We believe architecture thrives on play and exploration, where clever solutions and clear dialogue create a dynamic interplay between all the elements of a project, bringing them all into balance.
Our directors, Tim Dorrington and Sam Atcheson, have spent over twenty years developing a design philosophy that's playful, balanced and inclusive. Clever solutions to interesting challenges are one of the hallmarks of our work, as is an eternally-youthful enthusiasm for creating truly transformative design. We like to think of it as delivering just enough surprise to truly delight our clients.
We're proud of the impact our team has made on the built environment of Aotearoa, with multiple NZIA Awards to our name and a roster of happy clients. We specialise in residential projects, but have also had success with retail and commercial environments.
Our approach is highly collaborative. While we often draw on the rich lineage of mid-century modernism, we're not design dictators. Every project is a response to site, budget and our clients dreams and objectives. It's an honest and open process, which reflects in the materiality of our buildings and the experience of the spaces we create.
Our design philosophy:
playful, human, balanced, clever, inclusive, transformative.
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