Millbrook House I
By Koia Architects
MILLBROOK, CENTRAL OTAGO - 2011
This was our first Millbrook house, at the Millbrook Resort, just outside of Arrowtown. The clients wanted a refined country, inter-generational home, to accommodate their adult children and hopefully, grandchildren. Like many of these homes, they are built to be kept and this suits our 'Whole of Life' approach to designing and building homes. In fact, it was the clients' desire to have a slate roof, that really started this thought process. Slate has a life expectancy of 400 years. So the question becomes, 'how long should the walls remain standing?' If villas in New Zealand can last for 100 years, how long should a modern house last? At Koia Architects, we think we should be thinking of 200 years, not 50 years as the minimum code requirement.
This is another home built for all weather conditions, which encourages robust solutions. Slate, schist, cedar and plaster finishes are used throughout. A home designed to accommodate two people or many, a kitchen with butlers pantry allows you to achieve either seamlessly. 'Total Design' throughout allowed us to create our own skirting, architraves and cornice. Bespoke doors, laundry, kitchen, storage and drying areas mean that everything is considered and resolved elegantly.
Professionals used in
Millbrook House I
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About the
Professional
Koia Architects has been practising the art of architecture for over 20 years. Established in Auckland in 1995 by architect Tony Koia, a second office was opened in Queenstown in 2004. Having offices in both the city and the mountains gives this boutique practice the unique ability to offer a personal and tailored full architectural service, with a commitment to 'Total Design' using sustainable 'Whole of Life' best practice.
“Your home should be a reflection of you, the site and the space in between.”
To reflect this commitment Koia Architects Auckland Ltd and Koia Architects Queenstown Ltd were created in 2006 to provide better service to both regions.Initial projects included all types of residential and apartment fit-outs including their integrated interiors, and landscaping design. This quickly expanded to include townhouses, terrace houses, apartment buildings, office fit-outs, commercial projects and hotel design.
As part of the maturing New Zealand residential market over, we have enjoyed providing creative solutions for different types of living environments and seeing our clients appreciate the benefits of these.Working in a wide range of residential and commercial projects keeps us fresh and always provides aspects that enrich future projects – regardless of the size or type.Each commission is special and unique.
Every client brings a different hierarchy of requirements and we identify these at the outset - whether they be aesthetic, quality, time or budget constraints - so a successful outcome is achieved. We encourage our clients to be involved throughout the design process as this often brings about a more fulfilling result.