Talavera Terrace

Airy and light with functional outdoor spaces to maximise the stunning views over Wellington harbour, this recomposed family home marries charming villa character with modern living and offers welcoming spaces to connect socially, inside and out.  A restored exterior envelope beautifully frames a contemporary, open-plan living space with a mezzanine lounge for the clients’ teenaged children to congregate privately while remaining connected to the gathering space below.  Large skylights over the central kitchen cleverly capture the light on an otherwise narrow site, and keep the space connected with the outdoors. The layered history of this house dates back to 1900, with charming elements of the original villa still visible, along with decades of ad hoc alterations and dated extensions. Its challenging and narrow site between Clermont Terrace and Talavera Terrace is bounded by neighbours on two sides, while also being exposed to Wellington’s high winds. The traditional shapes of the villa transition through the rectilinear form of the asado roof to the free-formed paths and planter-beds of the landscape. Existing garaging at the roadside forms an established entry gateway to the property. This highly collaborative redesign project included working with the clients, consultants, friends and builders over a number of years.