I like to think that houses I’ve designed are houses folk like never to leave, so I’m disappointed to say that another of my houses has been on the market. Put on the market in September and it looks like it’s already sold – so too late for you to take advantage of an Open Home – but photographer Brad Thom at Soul Agency kindly sent me these photos for you lot to see.
Designed and built as a spec house back in 2002 as a neighbour to this one, this 4-bedroom steel, glass & concrete house has just 220sqm of space, cunningly arranged (he says) to feel larger. On a small site and surrounded and overlooked on three sides, it opens up to the sky, to the north and out to light, space and open landscaping.
Overall, it’s a bloody nice, spacious, well-built, light-filled house that anyone should be pleased with. Well,anyone with a soul. :-)
PS: If enough of you are interested, I’ll post a floor plan once I get my main computer back from the ‘shop, where it’s been in to get fixed from its latest Windows Update. Grrrr.
22 comments:
Lovely bedroom and I'd kill for a kitchen like that!
Is it just me being a peasant or is that railing thingy at the top of the stairs a little out of character?
Windows updates are but a faint, unpleasant memory around here, about on a par with outside toilets in winter and the Morris Marina. ;-)
That's it. You're hired. As soon as I get enough money and buy another block of land. Shame you aren't in Wellington. I love the spaces and the light - excellent use of windows.
Perhaps they got sick of cleaning windows. Beautiful indoor/outdoor mesh.
Another yuppie leaky building in the making without eaves?
All that glass can't be good for heating efficiencies and let's not get started on cleaning it.
It is truly beautiful.
Thanks everyone for your comments. Well, apart from PM, that is.
@KG: Re the railing thing: the wrought iron fabricator was so excited when he saw the place that he wanted to come up with "something special." When he finished, no-one had the heart to tell him what you just did.
@Opinionated Mummy: I'd travel almost anywhere for a good client. Even Wellington. :)
But seriously, one of the pleasures about working in New Zealand is all the different landscapes here in which to build. I'd love to build in yours.
@Lindsay: I'd love to know.
@PM of NZ: Leaking? Uh, no. The idea is to detail and build it properly.
Eaves? There are eaves on three sides.
All that glass not good for heating efficiencies? "All that glass" is where it's wanted to warm the place up: on the north. And "all that glass" gives the reason for the concrete floors on both stories: for thermal mass, to increase the heating efficiency.
(There was one issue that arose on this score however: during construction the tree to the north shown in the sketch and around which the house was designed was "removed," which obviously increased the solar gain. The new owners installed sun-louvres above the lounge 'conservatory glazing' to mitigate this, and told me that it worked very well.]
Cleaning? You don't like cleaning? Okay, I've got a barn here to sell you. (Sheesh! Some people would complain when they're given a gold bar.)
@PM: I should point out too that the remaining small trees are still doing the job required of them.
That the location of the glazing is perhaps more carefully oriented than you might imagine (the easterly glazing over the kitchen/dining for example).
And that where there are no conventional eaves, there is conservatory glazing. No problem.
But if it's not for you, then it's not for you. Every good client deserves their own unique house. :-)
PM is an idiot.
Had he actually visited the house, or the one next door, he would not talk like that.
One of the great things about these houses is how large they feel once inside; Peter really knows what he is doing!
As Peter says the windows make it very warm and as for cleaning..well..gosh..how 'middle class'
I take it that KG ditched PCs for a Mac - a wise move, and one I though PC would have done long before now.
Using a PC is like smoking
- a Bad habit hard to kick
@Tomahawk Kid: I tell you, times like this -- a wasted week - I'm sorely tempted. Even if if the comparable Mac was around $2000 more at time of purchase.
PC, the Mac Mini isn't particularly expensive and you get to use the monitor of your own choice with it.
Silent, tiny and stylish, they are. And I just upgraded the operating system for a total cost of $120 and half an hour's work.
Sure beats all that antivirus add-on garbage and registry cleaners and...
I'll shut up now. ;-)
A credit to you, sir.
THe alternative to Windows (and Macs) is Linux - I've used Ubuntu almost exclusively for about 4 years now, and I'm never going back. It does have updates, but the updates just keep making the O/S better and better.
I don't know if what you use to design the houses would be available for Linux, but for pretty much everything else, Ubuntu works great.
@Luke H: ArchiCAD runs on Mac and Windows, but not on Linux.
@KG: Sadly, a Mac Mini isn't really big enough to drive ArchiCAD. You need something with a lot more grunt, and a few more processors.
I'd be very happy living in this.
(Looking forward to finally being able to shake your hand on Saturday in Chch Peter. )
We want more!
What is not immediately obvious is what a hospitable place this is. Visiting when there is a large group present is a pleasure. The place makes everything work out.
LGM
Catching up. Not been in this one but looks unique & quite lovely to run round in. Designer should be proud. :)
Bloody nice house Peter, I could imagine myself on a sunny afternoon sitting in the lounge absorbing the Kaitiakitanga.
Have you heard of Richard Rogers - apparently an architect of some renown - the husband of Ruth Rogers of River Cafe fame.
His kitchen at River Cafe is superb, so I'm told in a food mag - great use of natural light.
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