The site is in an idyllic old beach area on the Kapiti Coast.
The clients have owned the property as a holiday Bach for many years. With the pending sale of their business and wanting to enjoy more of the Coast lifestyle, they decided to redevelop the property to become their permanent home.
The brief required comfortable open plan living for an active couple, with space to enjoy the view from a the Main bedroom, private sheltered outdoor living with a swimming pool, an office area (they still needed to keep working!), guest rooms (as the house was still to be hub for family and friends holidays), extensive garaging (for cars, bikes, kayaks, boat, and storage) and an outdoor utility area for fish cleaning, clothesline etc. Higher ceilings in the living areas and main bedroom were desired along with an interesting entrance and feature stairs. They liked rich timber as a material both externally and internally, but also wanted limited maintenance given the coastal environment. With pets and preferring radiant heat, they like the idea of a heated exposed concrete floor.
The main constraint on the site was fitting within a 2.1h and 45deg height into relation boundary envelope on a relatively narrow site. Given the length of the site, the design of the house lent itself to a long raking mono pitch form, starting from single level over the garage to extra height 2 storey levels at the western end. This approach enabled stepped heights for interest and impact with a very efficient form. The flow from the living area to the outside is seamless, with easy access to all day sun, BBQ space, sheltered sitting and recreation space beyond including a swimming pool.
Recycled Iron Bark weatherboards supplied by LMA were used in selected areas for warmth, impact, and easy access for maintenance with the bulk of cladding being Nuwall E series in varied widths. This selection provides a robust and interesting aesthetic.
The building is very thermally efficient, with high levels of wall and ceiling insulation, thermally broken aluminum windows (with low E glass and argon filled double glazing), and a fully insulated heated slab. Furthermore, the windows are recessed back to the framing line to increase their efficiency and weathertightness while also giving a crisp exterior detail. A heat pump effectively runs the in-slab heating, ducted air conditioning, hot water, and pool heating, which is complemented by a 10 kW solar PV system (with 14.2 kw battery storage) discreetly located on the garage roof. Rainwater is collected in an underground storage tank that supplies hose taps, toilet cisterns and a conveniently located outdoor shower, clad to match the house.
