A house on the raw edge
By Wright & Gray Architects Ltd
Ōwhiro Bay is an exhilarating place – on one side a steep, bush-clad hill; on the other Cook Strait. When a southerly rolls in it gets pretty wild – the locals call it the ‘raw edge of Wellington’.
The owners planned for a family home to make the very best of the special location. Four bedrooms and a home office/playroom, two bathrooms, a double garage and an open-plan living-dining-kitchen space – all on a modest budget.
The site demanded tough and durable construction and finishes. Precast concrete was ideal, providing a strong and low-maintenance exterior integral with the structure.
The house is arranged in two wings, each under a gabled scissor-truss roof. The west wing has the main bedroom suite over the garage and the east wing has the living space above the other bedrooms. Setting back the west wing provides extra on-site parking and allows views westward along the coast from the living space.
Between the house and the hillside at the rear is a large deck, receiving the best sun. On the sea side another deck enjoys the coastal outlook.
Two contrasting finishes to the concrete panels add interest and come together at an angle to highlight the front entrance. Inside, the owners have carefully chosen fittings, appliances and doors all in black to match the windows and roof. A timber stair with a slatted balustrade and screen links the two levels.
Collaborators:
Contractor - Homestead Construction Ltd
Interiors – owner
Photos – Andre Vroon
Products used in
A house on the raw edge
Professionals used in
A house on the raw edge
More projects from
Wright & Gray Architects Ltd
About the
Professional
Wright & Gray Architects Ltd is a Wellington-based, 8-person practice working locally and throughout New Zealand.
Directors John Wright and Travis Gray have over 50 years of experience between them.
Our residential work includes high-value renovations, new houses and multi-unit housing. Commercial and institutional work includes offices, industrial, healthcare and education.
We believe that adaptive reuse of existing buildings is a key to sustainability, and we have vast experience in the end-to-end renovation and repurposing of both housing and commercial buildings.
The range of our projects is diverse, but to each and every one we bring the same strong ethic of service.
We are "Architects who listen".
No two Wright & Gray projects look the same. We work closely with our clients to design buildings that are a great fit with their aspirations, location and their means.
Our clients say that we are great to work with, and many come back to us again.
They tell us that the appreciate the quality of our design, good communication, the respect for their budget, and our experienced oversight of their building projects. The finished results often exceed their expectations and provide many years of enjoyment and delight.