Design Proposal

Design Summary: Aesthetic

The rustic timber form climbs gradually out of the eroded landscape, forming a defensive stance against the aggression of the sea, with its cantilevered watchtower-like master bedroom, fort-like cladding and imagery of a coastal embattlement. At the same time, the building is in battle with itself, its two forms interwining and distorting one another. The timber (natural) form overtakes and engulfs the zinc-clad (man-made) form perched lightly on the site, symbolising the struggle between man and the elements.

Upon entering the darkened, human scale opening (symbolic of shelter as in the Maori Whare), the visitor is subtly folded into the rustic timber form, drawn further inside by glimpses of the sea, and pulled upstairs by a narrow slit window.

The design incorporates defensive symbolism and references such as palisades (influencing the cladding choice, and reed screen), camouflage (colour scheme, sunken-in garage, overall form), defensive slit windows and entrances (such as used in castles and bunkers/pillboxes), and skewed piles (symbolising the way tree roots hold land together).

Design Summary: Functionality

While of a modest size (roughly 190 metres squared not including decks), the house attempts to seem much bigger, with many different outdoor options each with their own unique characteristics. Spaces are designed to be as flexible as possible, the house could be up to four bedrooms plus garage, or two bedrooms with games room and study, or a multitude of other configurations. The designated guest bedroom (see plan) could be divided to make two separate rooms, or be used as one big games room with foldout sofa-bed.

Being the most frequented area of any house, the kitchen is located in the centre of the plan, where the two forms meet, in a double height space.

Recessed storage/shelves are used throughout the design, minimising the need for furniture and simplifying maintenance.

Outdoor living - option of either the east, for morning sun, privacy and linear views, the front, for panoramic views, less privacy, shelter from rain/sun (under cantilevered form), or the west, for afternoon sun, views, but less privacy and shelter from wind.

The ground floor bathroom is to be a feature, and is inspired by the semi-outdoor showers I used while at a resort on an island off the coast of Tonga. One wall of the shower is to be fully glazed, opening into a small private garden - permitting sun to enter but not views.

Much of the house is on piles to acknowledge the sensitive nature of the area, and to make the structure removeable.

The roof is designed to be able to be walked on, yet not obviously, in order to get away with having no handrail. It is to be a membrane system for easy rainwater collection, with gravel topping for a natural look and to allow walking over.

Design Summary: Sustainability

The design incorporates passive solar design throughout, with winter sun passing under the summer sun-shading devices, through double glazed windows onto a concrete floor. Windows are predominantly on the north face of the building, which is to be well insulated throughout.
The house is mainly timber framed and clad, resulting in a low overall embodied energy.
The colours, form, materials and texture combine to give an overall sustainable 'look'.
The significance of the motor vehicle is downplayed by the sunken garage - designed to not be seen as a garage from the road.
Solid waste is composted on site, and liquid waste is passed through a reed bed filtration system so it can then be discharge onto the site or the sea.
Rainwater is collected and stored off approximately 80 metres squared of membrane roofing (topped with gravel), which in the Waikato Region will net on average 100 metres cubed of water per year.
Solar panels are used to minimise the house's dependency on the grid.