Working around a tangled web
The challenge for Auckland architect Pete Bossley could hardly have been tougher: a 3-bedroom house on a small and near-impossible site at Thorne Bay on Auckland’s North Shore, with intertwined limbs of a pohutukawa (the New Zealand Christmas tree) covering half the available building zone.Article Gallery
Oh yes, there was also the little matter of the 1:3 gradient on a very tight access lane; not to mention the volcanic rock base.
The result is an innovative building, squeezed under, around and between the limbs of the trees – still managing to take full advantage of the site, the sun and the views. The house is designed to change its character as it rises from the ground.
The use of timber reflects the importance of the existing trees and provides visual warmth and softness. The exterior cladding is an integral part of the design and continues inside where cedar weatherboards line the stairway, continuing along the upper level hall, and lead the visitor out into a cedar-lined ‘treehouse’ library.
Oak flooring runs through the living/dining areas and up the stairs. Cabinetry is also oak veneer in the living spaces, bathrooms, bedrooms and library.
The house has been critically acclaimed, including a highly commended in the residential excellence section of the 2009 NZ Timber Design Awards.
(EDITOR: A full case study of this project will feature in the March edition of TimberDESIGN.) Don’t miss it.
Photo: Simon Devitt
BREAKING NEWS
Certification wars: PEFC fighting FSC monopoly
28 July 2010
The big guns may have been quiet for a while, but the battle between major certification brands PEFC and FSC is back on – just in time for the protagonists to vent their respective spleens at a major conference in Australia. Or will they?