House for a Grower

This use of timber at this finalist of the 2015 Resene Timber Design Awards, is a modern interpretation of a traditional post and beam farm structure, with views overlooking surrounding crops of rural Pukekohe. The house is reads as two light weight containers, sheathed in a mix of glass, black aluminium, Macrocarpa rain screen and Cedar weatherboards. The building, ‘H’ shaped in plan, creates a sheltered courtyard between the two pavilions, out of the prevailing southwesterly wind. The two pavilions separate open plan living, dining and kitchen spaces from the secluded bedroom and bathroom wing, creating a delineation between the public and private spaces. Extensive decks extend the living spaces to the outside and create the boardwalk to the entry. A timber rain screen in heart Macrocarpa clads the southern side of both pavilions. These rough sawn elements are reminiscent of vegetable bins and pallets elsewhere on the farm. These timber claddings and Vitex decks were selected for sustainability of source and naturally occurring durable properties, minimising environmental impact.