A home with climate in mind

Auckland-based architect Megan Rule looks at a trailblazing architect whose own home was a practical response to the sometimes harsh southern environment. 

Built in 1947, "Telesis" is a little-known gem on the sand dunes of Otatara near Invercargill.

It was designed by architect Monica Barham with her husband Cecil Barham as their own "terraced residential studio" — a living laboratory for modern family life.

"Telesis" was named after a school of thought on planned progress that emanated from the west coast of the United States. The Barhams shared an interest in the international work of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright that emerged from his Arizona atelier, "Taliesin West", during the 1930s — especially a more compact, affordable and energy-efficient house, responsive to climate conditions and comfort.

The Barhams deftly responded to the local climate and conditions, nestling their own two-storey dwelling into their sloping site to shelter from the sometimes cold, stormy winters. Native vegetation and planting helped moderate the microclimate of the property.

To address thermal comfort, the interior layout placed the service rooms and circulation spaces along the southern side of both levels. These continuous buffer zones help the living areas maintain a more consistent and comfortable temperature by creating a thermal bridge.

The main entry anchors the southwest corner of the house, with a pergola to soften and protect a recessed porch. Beyond is a voluminous entry lobby that can ably shepherd one in multiple directions. A sunroom located off the main entry led directly into the garden.

The kitchen and laundry connected through a carport to a sunny drying courtyard. In a sometimes drought-prone climate, the carport roof added rainwater catchment to nearby water tanks.

The central living room features a sloping ceiling that follows the roof line towards a south-facing, high-level glazed clerestory. The extra daylight captured throughout the day adds volume and drama to the space. The clerestory also offers an optimal path for thermal breeze and cross-ventilation on hotter summer days.

Placement of a north-orientated living level above the lower-level bedroom wing was progressive for its time, allowing views across the Waihopai River estuary towards the city. The bedrooms open northwards directly on to the private garden while the upper living space spills on to a balcony.

An advanced concrete floor system and masonry retaining walls formed the bedroom level. The main living level is completed in solid timber framing and joinery. Innovative, inclined windows beneath the eaves of the living space increase the sense of volume and contrast with the more intimate low roof overhang without compromising on weather protection.

On a chilly southern day, an open fire delivers solid heat to the living room. The chunky native timber hearth trim has decorative circular holes, hinting that the fire box benefits from introduced thermal dynamics that enhance the fire’s performance.

Monica Barham’s distinctive built legacy, in partnership with her husband Cecil, has become increasingly important in illustrating a New Zealand mid-century cultural canon. Projects led or drawn by her included the Winton RSA Clubrooms (1950), St Peter’s Methodist Church (now Elles Rd Baptist Chapel), Invercargill (1957), and Oak Tree Inn (now Crossroads Clinton cafe, bar and motel), (1966).

Barham’s Don St Medical Centre in Invercargill, completed in 1956, is the earliest known building by a female architect to receive an award from the New Zealand Institute of Architects — an enduring southern architecture award in 2023. Nevertheless, its future now hangs in the balance, with a two-year reprieve before its proposed removal makes way for a still-unknown replacement.

Monica Barham and her buildings appear in several recent publications. Making Space: A History of New Zealand Women in Architecture (2022) was edited by Elizabeth Cox. A monograph, Monica Barham: So You’re Building: You and the Architect (2024), together with the recent self-titled exhibition at He Waka Tuia Invercargill Public Art Gallery feature Barham’s work and art, while the guide, Monica F. Barham in Southland: Itinerary (2024), records some of her surviving projects.

Megan Rule’s PhD research at the University of Auckland is focused on early female architects in Otago and Southland and the ways in which their work adapted to the climate and the environment. As a teenager, she worked in the office founded by Monica Barham’s father.