Trends New Zealand Trends Volume 31 No 4 New Zealand | Page 120

This page: A large oculus in the roof
of the car porch provides a view
through the rooftop pool. It also
allows a round patch of sunlight
to highlight the formal entry to the
house.
Facing page: The circular shape of
the oculus is echoed by the stairwell
opening on the upper level. The
sculptural spiral stairs create a
strong sense of arrival and herald the
journey to the living pavilion on the
top floor.

the living area,” says Chee. “So
the second floor takes the form
of a large, glass-walled floating pavilion set within a large,
rooftop pool.
“The water creates a
reflective boundary for the
building, with the infinity
edges blurring to merge with
the tree canopy and sky. This
focuses the eye on the outlook.
At this level the house itself is
very transparent – it is little

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more than a roof over your
head. With all the glass walls
opened up, the pavilion is
cooled by the breezes coming
off the water.”
Chee says these breezes are
created naturally by temperature variations between the
water and hard landscaping
elements, such as the paving
and solid walls. These are
heated by the sun to a greater
degree than the water.

The entry to the house
hints at what lies beyond. The
design team created a large
oculus in the roof of the car
porch, directly beneath the
pool.
“The sunlight casts a circle
on the ground, like a spotlight
that defines the entry,” says
Chee. “It’s possible to look up
through the water and glimpse
the tops of the palm trees and
the sky.”