Good architecture is often a delicate act of tying together multiple threads so that the end result is seamless. And Warwick McLaren of McLaren Architecture.Design had several elements to consider in the design of this Wanaka retreat.
First and most important is always the client. In this case, it was a client with strong ideas.
“He actually came to me with a floor plan because he likes to get really involved, which is great,” says Warwick. “It's almost like a visual brief rather than a written brief.”
Warwick had worked with Barry and Jude Timmings before, on their main residence in Dunedin. “So we could skip some of that initial part of getting to know each other.”
Warwick says he’s happy whether or not a homeowner is clear on what they want. “If I’ve got a client who’s very hands off I’ll come up with a concept and if they like it we’ll just fly through from that point. I’m one of those people that responds to the client rather than forcing my opinions on them. Certain things I’ll push back on, but in this case there wasn’t too much we ever wrestled out.”
It was a very relaxed collaboration, he says. “A lot was done via phone. He’d ring me and start talking about some ideas and I would come back with a drawing that captured what we had discussed. It was quite a fluid way of working, I enjoyed it.”
The sleek holiday home in Wanaka designed by Warwick McLaren of McLaren Architecture.Design presents a simple facade. “The built form isn’t too tricky. The house was definitely done cost-effectively but in the end this doesn’t limit it.”
“I tend to play a bit with scale. Those entry doors are 2.7 metres tall so although it looks small and compact, when you get there it's quite a big dwelling.” The cedar cladding is by Rosenfeld Kidson.
Dealing with the site in Wanaka was not so straightforward. As part of a new development, it has a long driveway and includes a setback for services to neighbours. “Then it's got this angled boundary. At first look at the site, you think that's going to be a nightmare. But that's actually what brings on some of the interesting forms and shapes.”
Warwick reworked Barry’s floor plan, bringing the garage to the front of the property on an angle to the L-shaped home to present a solid, private facade to the driveway. “It just looks like a cedar wall. There’s no idea that there's a garage door and you can't see the entry at that point, it’s slightly around the corner. So that's part of that feeling of opening up as you get to the dwelling.”
Of course the site had positives to accentuate. “It looks at the back of everyone else's houses on one side, but on the other side is this existing line of oak trees, surrounded by a reserve. So it's actually quite a special spot. You can open up both sides, one to the sun and the other to the trees. And in the distance, you've got the big mountain views. You don't have anyone looking in on you so we were able to throw heaps of glass at it and not lose privacy.”
That open design included a further consideration for Warwick: Wanaka’s weather extremes. In summer the region can bake in 30C temperatures, he says, and languish at zero all day in winter. There are hard frosts, and some snow. “They get snow on the mountains but the actual town doesn’t get a lot. Having said that, it doesn’t mean you don’t have to allow for it, so typically you want good flow paths for snow.” It’s the sun and the region’s high UV levels that can really cause problems, says Warwick.
“The Wanaka environment is pretty hard on timbers, but everyone's putting cedar on up there.”
He attributes that to today’s improved manufacturing techniques. “There's more comfort for designers in specifying a product that's got a bit more longevity. It's a beautiful product with a feeling of warmth. It has that kind of rustic texture that people want for their homes.”
Homeowner Barry Timmings came up with the concept of the custom-built seating in the entry hall. “We just sketched up something to formalise that,” says Warwick.
The oak flooring throughout is a nod to the existing oak trees on the reserve. “The rest was kept to a pretty simple palette. They have very nice artwork so it's always good to celebrate that on a white wall.”
The Escea Spartherm double-sided fireplace divides two living areas without completely separating them.
Homeowners Barry and Jude are pleased with the end result.
“We love the summer up there, but the family also enjoys skiing,” says Barry. “The clear, crisp nights where you can sit in the hot tub with the fire going are magic. It has a bit of a resort feel.
He says it’s just as he imagined.
“I like the combined function and form of architecture and design and I had a pretty clear view as to what we wanted. But Warwick was able to actually make it work. He's got a real knack in terms of being able to translate. He definitely delivered what I had in my mind.”
Images: Larkin Photography
All the bedrooms are cleverly oriented to make the most of the mountain views while maintaining privacy.
All doors and sliders are full height, to create a feeling of scale as well as to improve cross-ventilation. The house is very thermally efficient and also has a ducted heat pump system.
A guest bathroom and bedroom were decided on late in the design and were tucked in behind the angled garage. “That created an interesting shape and the shower shows that.”
“It's an efficient house, and there's a reasonable amount packed into it. But it doesn't feel constrained,” says homeowner Barry Timmings. “We’re looking forward to having all sorts of people coming and going.”
