Part of a new development on the outskirts of Queenstown, this family home is only revealed as you approach it around a rocky outcrop. It is completely private and yet has wonderful views across the site to the mountains beyond, says Architect Anne Salmond.

“The site came with a number of constraints dictated by the developer—which are designed to maintain the integrity of the surroundings—including that the house could only be single storey. The building platform was in a natural depression and we wanted to make the most of the views, which drove the monopitch roof form.

“Similarly, the pavilion style gives you views and light from both sides and while the H-shaped plan does spread the house out, it provides great outdoor spaces, internal privacy and is acoustically sound.”

The other benefit of the single-storey arrangement is that all of the main rooms open to the outdoors, establishing an easy relationship between the house and its surroundings—a big advantage for the owners, who have moved from the high-density environment of Hong Kong to this wide open space.

Another ‘must have’ for the clients was a need for high thermal efficiency, says Anne.

“The owners were used to being in a warm climate and wanted the house to be warmer than usual for a New Zealand home. A naturally boggy area on the site gave us the ability to install a ground source heat recovery system for much less than would normally be the case.

“This, coupled with double and triple glazing, really good air-tightness and an arrangement on the site that maximises solar gain means the home has very good thermal performance, ensuring that even when it’s snowing outside it’s still very warm inside.”

The choice of exterior materials was driven in part, says Anne, by the need to camouflage the house from a distance, as per the conditions set down by the developer.

“Timber warms and softens residential buildings as well as helping bed them into the environment. We used a slightly greyed-off stained profile and narrower boards, which can move a bit more than wide boards without being overly noticeable.

“We also painted the soffits dark, which has worked well in keeping the house unobtrusive in the landscape. A Corten steel front door, a request of the owners, adds a further textural element that also complements the surroundings.”

Inside, the palette has been kept light and warm, with feature tiles and stone and timber accents to add contrast and texture.

“The clients had a lot of furniture and art which they brought with them, so the interior acts as a backdrop to these pieces. We incorporated a lot of built-in elements, such as shelving and window seats and the hallways are wide enough to be used as another space rather than just circulation corridors.

“The house was a real pleasure to work on, it sits within its context beautifully and I’m pleased to say the family really uses the whole house and it does what they required it to do. It accommodates their needs now and will continue to do so as the family grows.”

Words by: Justin Foote
Photography by: Graham Warman Photography