By Ben Hudson Architects
The brief was a family home for four; comfortable rather than grandiose, and to deliver a design that complimented the site and felt ‘naturally belonging’ to the landscape. The design sought to emulate the simple rural vernacular of traditional agricultural buildings; as such the design is a contemporary interpretation of the Central Otago hay barn, with single pitch ‘farm shed’ roof forms.
The Central Otago rural vernacular typically includes a combination of large and smaller openings. The design maintains this language; openings respond to views, privacy and internal function, but are designed to articulate form and provide human scale.
The form is divided into two distinct ‘pavilions’ – bedroom and living – connected by a central entry set back from the main buildings. A change in angle is incorporated in response to the irregular site boundary and to provide a sunny outdoor living area, sheltered from the prevailing southerlies.
The home is intended to sit naturally within the context of the dramatic alpine landscape. The separate pavilions are positioned and shaped to embrace and frame ridgeline views; high-level windows to the east of the living space celebrate the Remarkables mountain range. Natural building materials and earthy, recessive colours reinforce the connection to the environment.
The interior of the living wing is defined as a single volume accommodating kitchen, living, dining, fireplace and study, with a mezzanine space above, offering the occupants a flexible set of living spaces. White surfaces heighten the play of light and shadow within the interior, but in contrast a palette of raw concrete, cedar and dark painted walls adds a layer of warmth and intimacy to the fire area. From within, the sense of living in an alpine landscape is palpable, yet the house provides a comfortable retreat in which to enjoy a glass of pinot.
We want to make the process of building a home easy for clients.
Prior to the founding of Ben Hudson Architects, Ben Hudson and John Mathieson met whilst working at Warren and Mahoney, where a shared interest was realised in producing bespoke, imaginative architecture that is well constructed and sits comfortably in it’s surrounding.
We believe successful projects require good communication and earned trust between clients, architects, consultants and builders. Our approach is friendly and personable, whilst our work demonstrates sensitivity and subtlety in design.
A core strength of the practice is our past experience and combined knowledge and skills that allow us to bring a broader perspective to the conversation. Ben and John work together on all stages of our projects; a collaborative approach that brings dual sensibilities to each design, ensuring that the quality of detail is maintained in the final build.
Our goal is to pursue architecture that marries innovative and exciting design with a keen awareness of context and environmental responsibility. Our architecture is not about pre-determined style or fashion, we seek to produce enduring livable architecture capable of inspiration and delight. Put simply, we aim to create places and spaces that people love.
Core strength is our past experience and the combined knowledge and skills of the team. Ben and John will work together on all design stages of our projects; a collaborative approach that brings dual sensibilities to each design.
We believe successful projects require good communication and earned trust between clients, architects, consultants and builders. Our work demonstrates sensitivity and subtlety in design, whilst ensuring that the quality of detail is maintained in project realisation.
We employ the latest 3D software to stay at the forefront of architectural technology in design – our set up is mobile, allowing us to bring the ‘studio’ to the site or your home.
We maintain a focus on residential and small scale commercial architecture, offering a full scope of NZIA architectural services including;