Trends New Zealand Volume 34 No 4 | Page 90

Above and right: Box office feature – a private office space, clad in wood, hides in plain sight within the new family spaces when the doors slide shut. When they’re open, the office becomes part of the larger room. Facing page, top and lower: Steps from the existing living room to the new family room counter the site’s drop-off, enabling a level connection from the addition to the outdoors. search | save | share at spaces – the family room, dining area and an entertainer’s kitchen. However, the need to maximise space, access and functionality for some secondary spaces led the architect to some clever design solutions for these areas. “Part of the brief was to create a workspace for a home business that could be hidden from sight if required, while still feeling part of the new open-plan living volume,” says Simons. “In response, we designed an understated wood-clad elevated box-like office insertion with retractable doors. The office can be closed off when the homeowner needs to concentrate