Trends New Zealand Trends Volume 31 No 1 New Zealand | Page 88

From the ground up
In this post-earthquake rebuild on the hills above Christchurch,
a 1950s house was replaced with a strong, durable home
with a modern architectural aesthetic
Above: Designed by Archimetrix, a
Christchurch-based consultancy, this
new house is positioned to maximise
a spectacular view. Because the
owner is retired and required a level
access, a driveway sweeps down to
a garage beside the front door. The
folded roof form that wraps down
the front and side of the house was
both a distinctive and cost-effective
cladding solution. In contrast to
the original ’50s house on site, the
new home provides views from the
kitchen-living area and bedrooms.

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While the Christchurch city centre rebuild
commands plenty of attention, new builds are
also starting to transform several residential
neighbourhoods, including Mt Pleasant.
This new house, designed by Pete Wynyard
of Archimetrix, replaces a 1950s house that was
badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake.
“We took the opportunity to improve the
views from the site, which were not maximised
in the original house,” Wynyard says. “Modern
archite cture lends itself to large areas of glazing and open-plan living spaces that capture
the view. But we were mindful that this was a

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new concept for the owner, who brought up her
family in the former house and is now well into
retirement. However, she is thoroughly enjoying the change and the 180° views from her
bedroom, which were previously limited.”
Budget constraints and a desire for light
materials also helped to determine the design,
but aesthetics weren’t compromised. To integrate the form of the house, Wynyard folded the
Colorsteel roofing down the walls on two sides.
This gives the house a strong architectural presence, made all the more dramatic by the
contrasting shades of charcoal and white.