Many people have seen this house while visiting nearby show homes in Mosgiel. Kim Dungey steps inside.
In an area of new builds, Ken and Jan Ward's home demands attention.
The large cedar, glass and stone veneer house is different from most of the others being built in Mosgiel's Highland Park subdivision.
Mrs Ward says she was feeling "mumsy'' so wanted to go outside their comfort zone and build something modern.
At first, she thought architect Gary Todd's proposal looked a little like a commercial property but his drawings grew on her and the angles "sold it''.
Todd says the roof floats as a thin horizontal overhang between the more dominant vertical stone blade walls which extend from the exterior through to the interior, connecting views of the Chain Hills to the north and Maungatua to the south.
"Between the stone walls, extensive triple glazing with horizontal aluminium and cedar bands provide visual transparency of the space to maximise views, sun and light, whilst maintaining privacy.''
The stonework forms a grounding feature in the entrance, the stairwell and the living area of the 350sq m home, built by Lew Walker.
In the kitchen, clean lines and white joinery enhance the sense of space and light.
Meals are prepared in a large walk-in pantry, while the main island has LED lighting that changes colour, a feature that the Wards' six grandchildren love.
Also on the ground floor is the main bedroom, with doors leading outside, a walk-in wardrobe and a large tiled en suite with free-standing bath.
"It's kind of like an apartment, because the bedroom is off the lounge. In our old age, if we don't want to go upstairs, we probably don't have to,'' Mrs Ward explains, as her husband jokes that Chatsford retirement village "is only 100 yards down the road''.
Stacker doors span the length of the open-plan kitchen-dining-living area, leading on to patios and drawing in heat and light.
The outdoor dining space off the kitchen is a favourite spot for breakfast, and remote-controlled louvres overhead can be opened or closed, depending on the weather.
A jarrah staircase with a glass balustrade leads to the first-floor sitting area, off which there are two bedrooms, a bathroom and an office/fourth bedroom.
Louvres on the outside of the bedroom windows can be adjusted for privacy.
While the living area and bedrooms are carpeted, the rest of the house has polished concrete floors.
The slab is warmed from below by a heatpump and the concrete retains heat from the sun so the gas fire in the living area is hardly used.
Outside, garden beds are laid out on formal lines, raised planter boxes overflow with vegetables, and laurel bushes have formed a hedge at the front of the 1148sq m section.
"It took a year to get to this stage,'' Mrs Ward says.
"But now it's all done, it's easy-care.''
The Ward residence
Ken and Jan Ward's home was a national finalist in the new homes $1million to $2million category of the Registered Master Builders 2015 House of the Year competition. Builder Lew Walker, who employs two tradesmen and an apprentice, has been in the building trade for 37 years and had his own business for 20 years.