Red Beach Single Level Duplexes
By Smith Architects
Located in the unique coastal region of Red Beach, is the quality-built design of single level duplex houses for Fletcher Living.
To appeal to different demographics the duplexes were designed with 2 different 3D forms off of an identical plan – one strikingly modern with the other being a modern interpretation on the traditional Ponsonby workers cottages.
The design offers spacious 240m² sections with a contemporary modern layout, consisting of two-bedroom units with generous living and dining spaces. Designed to offer a sense of space in a location known for its stunning scenery, the design’s careful selection and integration of building components employs high quality material and fabrication methods.
The expression of the façade incorporates gable roofs with subtle texture changes to differentiate each unit as its own. Styled to feel inviting and homely the building structure is complemented with aluminium roofing and vertical timber cladding to set a warm and cosy feel.
Materials were chosen to complement the styles of the designs we created – for the take on the Ponsonby cottage we opted for materials that evoked that style: corrugated roofs, shiplap weatherboard, expressed timber rafters, louvres to evoke shutters, pale colour paint finishes.
For the modern version of the same plan, we opted for dark painted bevelback weatherboard to the side elevations with matching glazing colour, and a feature wall of brick on the front elevations with one large window punched in. Roof material was trapezoidal coloursteel coloured to match the side elevations, emphasizing the tube style design. Construction was all timber frame, including timber trusses, to minimize steel framing. Concrete ribraft was used for ground floors as it was most cost effective.
Internally, each unit offers great natural light and warmth. With the benefit of added privacy and spacious indoor and outdoor flow, there is plenty of room for outdoor living and entertaining in the afternoon sun. The extensive sliding doors further allow natural breezes to flow throughout the internal spaces, keeping the building cool and ventilated.
Facts + Figures
Client: Fletcher Residential
Location: Red Beach, Auckland, New Zealand
Construction cost: Confidential
Area: 240m²
Programme: Completed 2020
Project Team: Phil Smith, Evan Crighton
Construction: Fletcher Residential
Landscaper: Natural Habitats
Image Credit: Fletcher Residential
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Red Beach Single Level Duplexes
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Smith Architects
About the
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Smith Architects is an award-winning international architectural practice creating beautiful human spaces that are unique, innovative and sustainable through creativity, refinement, and care.
Phil and Tiffany Smith established the practice in 2007. We have spent more than two decades striving to understand what makes some buildings more attractive than others, in the anticipation that it can help us design better buildings.
Recent advances in neuroscience and psychology have enabled scientists to unlock some of the reasons why we find certain works of art, objects and environments more attractive than others, and at the heart of it is simple Darwinian theory: if we find something attractive we will be more likely to choose that thing over another – be it a painting, a piece of music, a landscape or even a building.
At Smith Architects, we use these learning to inform our designs, striving to create beauty in everything we do, in the belief that beautiful spaces create better environments for human beings or ‘beautiful human spaces’.
We carefully integrates architectural, landscape, interior and furniture design skills to ensure projects achieve an holistic integrity that meets our client’s needs. At the core of our design rigour, we believe that modern, sustainable, research-based design delivers a successful project with innovative solutions that work for our clients.
Our Auckland, New Plymouth, and Arrowtown offices design and deliver projects ranging from refurbishments to new-builds; from domestic scale to urban master plans; from conception to completion. Our experience covers a broad range of typologies – masterplans, mixed-use schemes, residential; offices; cultural; educational; healthcare and childcare.
We work with a diverse client base, including developers, private, government and charities and have experience of working with multiple stakeholders on challenging sites around the world.
We are a member of the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), Site Safe New Zealand, and the Sustainability Business Network.
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