A night shot of the exterior of the living room wing. Photo
by Graham Warman.
Making the most of the river view was the main
requirement for a Dunedin woman when she built a holiday home
at Albert Town.
The house is on an elevated, north-facing site directly above
the Clutha River and the owner wanted to be able to see the
water from the living area, even when seated.
She also wanted the home to have an intimate, cosy feel and
to open, wherever possible, on to outside spaces.
The solution arrived at by McCoy and Wixon architects was to
create two separate wings perpendicular to each other and
linked by the entrance lobby. One wing, consisting of the
open-plan living spaces, faces north. The other, comprising
bedrooms and service areas, looks east.
The plan called for two wings linked by an entrance lobby.
Rugged, natural materials in a grey colour palette were
chosen to blend with the landscape. The exterior materials were
restricted to vertical board and batten in western red cedar,
and bagged concrete block masonry - the fine plaster finish
over the concrete allowing the lines of the blocks to show
through.
Large expanses of glass make the most of the views to the
north and all windows are double-glazed.
The ceramic floor tiles in the living areas continue out on
to the terrace. The floor acts as a thermal mass, absorbing
heat during the day and slowly releasing it in the evening.
A large roof overhang to the north cuts down the summer sun
but lets the low winter sun in.
A separate garage/carport and bagged masonry landscaping
walls help create a sheltered courtyard and a consistent feel
to the property.
A winner in the 2010 Southern Architecture Awards, the
property was described by judges as a "delicate house camped
on the banks of the Clutha". There was integrity to the
limited material palette and the living space and outdoor
areas were skilfully manipulated along the river edge in an
"open gesture of freedom and lightness".
THE SPECS
• Floor area: 224sq m.
• Bedrooms: Three.
• Bathrooms: Two.
• Exterior materials: Cedar board and batten with oil
finish, bagged concrete block, Colorsteel long-run
roof.
• Interior materials: Ceramic floor tiles.
• Heating: Gas fire and underfloor heating.
• Architects: McCoy and Wixon, Dunedin.
• Builder: Breen Construction, Wanaka.
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