NZIA Wellington Award for Architecture 2017

Jury citation: “This finely crafted reworking of a small, pre-1900s workingman’s cottage cleverly orchestrates the home across three compact scaled split levels. The rooms of the home are overlapped, borrowing light and views, whilst retaining a deft separation which is exceptional within such a small footprint. The original cottage has been sensitively modified and connected to a mid-level kitchen and lower family dining room, all connecting to a deck and tree-filled site beyond. The insertion of floating cabinetry is a light touch with detailing that is intimately tuned to its owner’s needs.”

The project required extending and renovating a small pre-1900’s workingman’s cottage. The finished house has 3 slightly stepped levels, down to the east. The top level (the original cottage) contains a living room and a bedroom, the middle the kitchen and the lower a dining family area opening out to a deck with views through trees to the east.

The owner had grown up in a 1950’s modernist home, and parts of the new interior are infused with a similar flavour, to compliment and subtly contrast the style of the original cottage.

Photographer Paul McCredie