This dramatic alteration and addition to an established Queenstown neighbourhood first began life back in the '60s as a showcase home for the newly minted Kelvin Heights.

With views of The Remarkables mountain range to the south and Lake Wakatipu to the north, the original high pitched 100sqm dwelling was touted as an affordable, alpine-style home in keeping with it's 'magic location.' Inspired by the mountain architecture of the Austrian Alps, the chalet-style home was named 'Tyrol,' and typical of the era, it was uninsulated, with fibre cement cladding, and tiled roof containing asbestos.   

The development it promoted would go on to become New Zealand's first million-dollar subdivision. 

Originally purchased as a holiday home away from Wellington, the project took on a new momentum when our clients and their sons decided to make a permanent move to Queenstown. Working closely with them, we devised a plan to honour the original footprint and structure of the home, but also modify and extend it to become a modern, warm, energy-efficient space that fitted into the natural landscape with maximised access to sunlight and views. 

Our design sees the original dwelling successfully flanked by two additional wings to create three main living areas within a tight 553sqm site. The original wing is opened up to encourage a social entertainment space, while the additional wings offer privacy and seclusion, cohesively catering for the varying demands of family living. 

High-pitched tongued groove oak ceiling and expansive glass provide a light, modern and open living environment, while still respecting the former architecture. The living area opens onto a north-west private schist courtyard where an outdoor fireplace adds another communal space. Natural timber weatherboard cladding on the outside blends with and respects the alpine setting. Indoor and outdoor living spaces are orientated north to maximise solar gain in the harsh Central Otago climate, and locally fabricated high-quality European style Siberian Larch windows and doors were architecturally detailed with deep external reveals to suit the newly airtight and insulated 250mm deep walls. Active ventilation through air extract systems ensure good indoor air quality in this airtight building envelope, and the home is heated throughout by hydroponic in-floor water-filled pipes with thermally broken slab edge detailing to minimise heat loss. These features have lead to "superb interior living comfort" according to the owners, "every corner of the house is easily kept at a constant 24 degrees even when its minus 3 outside."     

Keeping the original chalet charm and upgrading well beyond the building code standard with high-quality design, construction, internal and external materials, it is destined to last for another 60 years at least