Built on a tight site and budget, this home was an exercise in well-considered planning. Kim Dungey reports.
Faced with a small site and height restrictions, the owners and architect of this house came up with an ingenious solution — a roof-top deck which extends the usable area and offers water views.
Reached by external stairs, the 44 sq m deck is a place to relax or entertain, while taking in views of Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountains. The panorama is not what you would expect from a leg-in section that is surrounded on three sides by neighbouring houses.
With a title covenant restricting the height to 5.5 m off the existing ground level and limiting any two-level solutions, Rafe Maclean Architects had to ensure every square metre of the 483 sq m lot was used efficiently.
At 113 sq m, the house is compact but living areas and bedrooms are reasonably spacious and there is even an 11 sq m storage room for bikes and skis. Hallway space was kept to a minimum.
Ross says they love that the house is quirky and practical and that it made the best use of their small section and budget.
The interior is lined with clear-finished pine plywood, with green internal doors providing pops of colour. The exterior cladding is scoria-coloured corrugate.
Using rich red was a deliberate decision to have something "a bit more cheerful" than the usual greys, greens and dark blues seen in Wanaka suburbs, Maclean says.
The material was economical to use and having the house on timber piles also helped with the costs.
Triple-glazed windows, generous insulation levels, an airtight construction and a mechanical heat recovery/ventilation system make it a snug and healthy home to live in.
But it’s the roof deck that is the high point in more ways than one.
"It takes a relatively simple form and adds a twist which I think really surprises people," he says.
"It’s very useful and practical to be able to go up there, away from the rest of the house, and the outlook is amazing."
