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Hepburn Street, Freemans Bay — 7 x Townhouse Reclad & Exterior Refurbishment
Marrying Rigorous Building Science with Premium Urban Luxury
The Brief & Intervention: Transforming an entire block of seven compromised 1990s plaster-clad townhouses into an elegant, structurally unassailable contemporary complex. The original structures suffered from systemic water ingress issues and progressive moisture damage, which stood as a direct consequence of inadequate fenestration detailing. With remediation required, the brief was expanded to completely modernise the buildings, updating them to beautifully reflect the historic grace and architectural style of their premium Freemans Bay and Ponsonby surroundings.
The Technical Execution: Operating under our strict "do it once, do it right" studio mandate, we stripped the original solid plaster back to the framing across all seven residences, executed meticulous timber remediation, and fully engineered a high-performance weatherproofing envelope. Because buildings generally leak due to a lack of appropriate detailing or poor documentation in the first instance, our practice personally drafted and monitored every critical junction. We detailed custom powder-coated aluminium flashings, spouting assemblies, and window penetrations to drastically exceed Auckland E2/AS1 standards.
The Design Outcome: Reclad in striking vertical cedar weatherboards, the townhouses now boast fine ornamentation and classic bay windows that respect the historic heritage of the location while achieving a clean, modern aesthetic. By providing full architectural services—including comprehensive construction monitoring—we successfully married rigorous building science with luxury residential prestige across the entire development.
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