A passive house near Lake Hayes is one of only five homes across the country to win a 2021 New Zealand Architecture housing award.
"Threepwood Passive House" was designed by Sian Taylor and Mark Read, of Team Green Architects, and is where they live with their 7-year-old daughter.
The judges described it as "well-proportioned and robust" with a bold, simple form that mimics the slope of the land.
The two-bedroom house has a footprint of less than 90sq m, but an upstairs office, and a mezzanine playroom reached by a ladder, take the total living area to about 145sq m.
A certified "passive house plus" with a Homestar 8 rating, it also features a wide, north-facing veranda to frame the views and provide shading.
PHOTOS: SAM HARTNETT
