Seatoun House I

NZIA New Zealand Award, 2004
NZIA Local Award, 2002

“Three simple box forms make up this family home……finished in three carefully considered materials, timber, zinc and concrete.” NZIA Awards Jury, 2002.
“…a well- crafted piece of design”. NZIA Awards Jury, 2004.

On an exposed corner site, within walking distance to the beach, a house was needed to replace a villa that was destroyed by fire. Kitchen, dining, living and bedrooms were contained in a darkly-stained timber-clad element open to the north. To the south, services, garage and den were housed in a closed concrete mass, dug into the ground to form an adjacent courtyard. A double-height glazed metal box links these; the transparency signalling entry and drawing natural light into the house. To maximise outdoor living, the timber-box was pulled back from the northern and eastern boundaries, and the concrete box drawn away from the western. This created a series of distinct outdoor spaces around the house.