Projects
Effective Green Building begins with design. At Mercury Bay
Design we are re-imagining the building process through new technologies
and a better understanding of building design to produce homes
that have less impact, cost less to run and are more enjoyable
to live in. Better Homes by Design.
New Homes
Flaxmill
Bay House
Design Brief
The key client request was that the new home should blend into
the coastal environment, using the nautical theme of the bay as
a style cue. The intended use as a family holiday home should
be reflected in the layout and mix of spaces and their relationship
to the site. Also stressed was that every opportunity to maximize
the view should be taken, while balancing this with the need for
privacy. Local planning restrictions combined with a minimum floor
level and the unusual section shape meant development options
were extremely limited.
Creative Solution
The building blends well with the coastal character of the bay
in several ways. The cladding is Hardies Linea giving a traditional
weatherboard look. Decks are timber with a stainless steel balustrade
softened by the use of zigzag wire as the infill material. The
nautical theme has been achieved by the use these materials, complimented
by the bow shaped deck and porthole window for the front door.
Views are achieved by developing two storeys, yet reducing glass
areas to a minimum to maintain privacy, restricting glazing to
a few key opportunities. The constraint of the Height to Boundary
restriction has been managed by maximizing the development at
the rear of the site, leaving the front of the site to be landscaped
to enhance the view and living environment. This provides a balance
as this area will never be built on, giving greater amenity value
to the corner site, benefiting the neighbours and the wider community.
This project features in Issue 21 (Dec 2007) of Homestyle Magazine.
Buffalo
Beach Road House
Commissioned in 2004 & completed in 2005, this family beach
house features an open plan living area with Kaiaua stone fireplace
as the heart of the house. Privacy from the busy road is acheived
by the change in level from the street, also enhancing the view
from the main level. The bedroom wing is separated by a glazed
stair well, making for comfortable accomodation for large number
of the holiday period. Materials were carefully selected to match
the harsh environment and match the character of the area.
For this project I was awarded winner of the First Time Entrant
category of the Waikato/Bayof Plenty ADNZ 2006 Awards and second
Place in the First Time Entrant category of the ADNZ 2006 National
Awards. Judges comment: “Design successfully meets the needs of
maximizing plentiful bed accommodation and communal open plan
living suited to a beach environment. Forms well handled with
good detailing for the decks, stonework, stairs & interior.”
Waterways House
Design Brief
With the blandness that abounds in the price conscious end of
the housing market we saw a challenge - to build a distinctive
home on a budget. We wanted to create a home with a beach house
feel that suited us, having spaces to accommodate a professional
couple with a young family. The home also needed to be forward
looking and challenge
dependency on electricity.
Creative Solution
The layout relies partly on relationship of space to offer privacy
while maintaining the airiness and flow of an open plan. Two bedrooms
for children rooms share a transitional play space that connects
through to entry and living area. The master suite is an escape
tucked away behind the office and garage with westerly frontage
onto the rear courtyard.
The main living space opens to outdoor living to North & South
and enjoys all day sun for most of the year. Cork flooring throughout
gives a beach house feel and has an advantage in the living area
- winter sunlight is reflected into the space giving warmth on
cold days. Energy efficiency is further enhanced by the use of
solar water heating
and a free standing solid fuel fire. White brick was deliberately
chosen as a point of difference and is happily contrasted with
aluminium weatherboards for key areas.
Tracey and I have been pleasantly surprised with the result and
feel we have succeeded in meeting our challenge, staying within
our $240,000 budget.
Alterations & Additions
Centennial Drive House
A once humble blockwork bach, this home now commands views over
Mercury Bay from an addition that maximises the sites potential.
Architectural Visualisations
Interior challenge
This is a computer generated image I completed while learning
my rendering package, showing the level of photorealism I can
acheive. |
