A compact house near Queenstown is full of interesting angles. Kim Dungey reports.
It's not often that a house is compared to the Tardis in Doctor Who.
But this home near Queenstown is similar to the fictional time machine in one respect: it has much more in it than would first appear.People stepping inside for the first time are always surprised to find three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study and a small laundry, architect Anna-Marie Chin says, adding that the property is only 150sq m including the 50sq m garage.
The owner, who worked on super-yachts, was used to tight spaces with cleverly designed storage and wanted a "small, compact and quirky building" that made the most of the light and views.
The careful arrangement of spaces within a reasonably small envelope impressed New Zealand Insitute of Architecture award judges who said that "as with the proverbial Tardis", there was the very real possibility of discovering spaces inside "that from a study from the exterior would seem impossible".
One of six new homes to win national architecture awards late last year, "Tom’s house" was praised for meeting the needs and relatively modest budget of the client while challenging the design rules of an upmarket residential estate. Guidelines for the Jack’s Point subdivision govern things such as building height, set-backs, materials and roof forms.
While most of the neighbouring buildings have pitched roofs, Chin designed a twisted or asymmetrical gable to echo the mountainous landscape and to create interest inside.
The roof slopes down towards the north, following the line of The Remarkables and creating a different atmosphere in each area, she says.
"The bedrooms have lower ceilings whereas the main living area has the big volume and big drama."
The owner wanted to rent the home out while he was away so there are beds for eight people and a couple more can sleep on the mezzanine above the dining area, which is reached from a ladder beside the kitchen.
Honey-coloured ply gives the interior a warm, welcoming glow and contrasts with the dark exterior.
Warmth for the heavily insulated home comes from underfloor heating, a fireplace and a heat pump. Double glazing keeps the cold out and helps mediate temperature fluctuations, preventing overheating in summer.
Stage two of the project was to provide more bedrooms and living space but for now, the house is meeting the owner’s requirements, says Chin, who has worked in the Queenstown area for about 15 years and established her own practice in Arrowtown two years ago.
"Overall, we’re pleased with how it relates to the land, how it captures the views and how the spaces inside give you a sense of where you are in the environment ... It shows that you don’t have to have big spaces to have good spaces."
