If ever a house deserves to be called a family sanctuary, this is it. Sitting just above the Central Otago town of Wānaka, the meticulously crafted and adaptable 309sqm home is an intergenerational retreat built on land lived on by the client for more than 20 years. It’s also a house that intrigues. The street-facing facade – with solid masonry forms and light-filtering timber screens – is deliberately abstract and designed to deal with a changing climate and changing urban landscape. It provides privacy and hints at what lies beyond. And what lies beyond is truly beautiful.
Inside, the three-bedroom retreat presents as both formal and relaxed, and has no fewer than four garden courtyards, plus a terrace and arrival court. Flow doesn’t come close to describing the way the interior transitions to the outdoor zones. A mudroom leads to a light-filled interior with framed views of the mountains. Stone steps link the sequence of interconnected gardens to a spacious central courtyard at the heart of the house. The relationship between the components of the house and the sanctuary as a whole is emblematic of the collaboration between Level Construction and architects Roberts Gray. Part of the brief was also a raft of environmental and sustainable features. These include double- skin construction, durable Japanese charred cedar, thermally broken joinery and solar panels.
NATIONAL AWARDS WON
National Category Winner
National Plumbing World Bathroom Excellence
Top 100
REGIONAL AWARDS WON
Regional Supreme House of the Year
Regional Category Winner
Regional Plumbing World Bathroom Excellence
Regional Interior Design Award
Regional Gold