With a backdrop like this, the trick was to build a house that ties into the land rather than dominate it. It’s clear this has been achieved – bagged schist cladding and dark steel settle the three-bedroom house into its spot above the banks of the Clutha River. The design is understated and sensitive to its raw, beautiful surrounds. The second part of the challenge was to make the interior of the 263sqm house cosy and inviting. This too has been handled with skill and a deft touch. Natural hues and materials are inviting, while a ducted heat-pump system and fire keep the temperature comfortable when the chill outside begins to bite. Schist is repeated in walls and features such as the fireplace, leaving you in no doubt where in New Zealand the house is located. Timber floorboards keep the theme natural, and moody-hued tiles add elegance to the two bathrooms. The dark kitchen, with butler’s pantry and breakfast bar, is high-spec and sleek. In summer, sliders can be flung open to connect with a concrete patio that wraps the house. From the main living zone, steps lead down the landscaped slope to a barbecue area within low gabion walls, then onto the banks of the rolling river.
NATIONAL AWARDS WON
Top 100
REGIONAL AWARDS WON
Regional Gold