Compact Living Home by Hillery Priest

Designed by New Zealand based architect "Hillery Priest Architects", a collaboration of the talents of Richard Priest and Susan Hillery, is a dynamic and thriving central Auckland practice producing contemporary architecture enhancing their clients’ lifestyles and workstyles.

A compact family home that is well defined by a strong modern aesthetic of high contrast. A protective shell of steel and darkened cedar forms a hardened exterior around the more smoother and soft white crisp interior spaces.





















About the Architect:
Richard Priest has won every significant New Zealand architectural award. He has been on the advisory boards for the design degrees at UNITEC and the Auckland University of Technology. His enthusiasm for urban planning has seen him visit and study in cities throughout North and Central America, South East Asia, India, Europe and Australia.

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Leura House by James Stockwell

This Laura House Design inspired by the geology and landscape of edges, cliffs, caves, and ponds of the Blue Mountains near Sydney. Designed by James Stockwell Architect, This Laura House designed for passive solar performance and become the winner of the 2008 Wilkinson Award - the Australian Institute of Architects New South Wales’ highest accolade for a residential project. It unfolds is a last step in a series of landscape spaces from the valley to the verandah.
















The Leura house is sketched out in sedimentary compressed sandstone walls. It uses a Japanese method called 'discontinuous unity' brought to light in the 1940’s by Japanese architects Yoshizaka and Sakakura for the incomplete separation of spaces from one another.

This ‘incompleteness’ of space, interior and exterior, permits the user to fill in the gaps with the act of dwelling and activity, a kind of liberation for the user by an un-prescribing, open-ended architecture. Physically it means no thresholds and doors are hidden and making open-ended rooms. Walls aren't wholly devoted to enclosing space but to create pauses in a larger journey.













The materials are limited in number and low embodied energy. The ‘rammed sandstone’ walls are crushed sandstone with 10% cement compacted into forms with chips of iron stone and quartz. The house is designed for the owners, their children, grand children and friends. The loft is designed to sleep 12 grandchildren with boys and girls on separate sides.



















The intention is to address warmth/cooling, ventilation and acoustics with simple passive methods backed up by sustainable [hydronic] heating/cooling. Aesthetic solutions like plywood ceiling strip panels work also for acoustic performance. The house produces its own power and water. 20 PV panels producing .5kw each/day in Leura are installed and a 100,000lt water tank is built under the bedroom wing.



















The garden and landscape are most important so the journey along the edges of the building permit varying places to experience the mountain valley.

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Fullagar Residence by Stephen Varady Architecture

The Fullagar Residence is a considered exploration of the suburban house located in 22 fiona avenue, wahroonga, nsw 2076, Sydney. The design of the Fullagar Residence demonstrates another way to define ‘house’ with 1,260m² site area, 350m² internal floor area, 110m² garage + workshop decks and 95m² pool. while using conventional construction methods and materials – concrete, brickwork, timber framing and fibrous cement.

Since Michael Fullagar is a builder, the design and construction was a collaborative process, with no detail construction drawings required. The design provides a comfortable, spacious house, incorporating strict passive solar principles, while also exploring more sculptural and artistic ideas.



The form is a composition of intersecting rectilinear elements, inspired by Kazimir Malevich’s ‘Arkhitektons, with a dramatic overlay of colour, inspired by the teachings of Joseph Albers and Johannes Itten - perhaps more in the spirit of Australian artist Jeffrey Smart than Fred Williams.




















By breaking the exterior surface into smaller coloured panels, the scale of the house has been visually reduced. By painting the panels in different colours the facade becomes an exploration of colour theory while also being a response to the notion of ‘fitting in’, through the use of four different ‘natural’ tan colours. The bold red pool is use as a highlight and counterpoint to the overall composition. The same red acts as a counterbalance in the centre of the house on one wall of the stair.




















Internally, the use of colour is further explored through the placement of blocks of colour on the white walls and ceilings, rather than painting a whole wall, ceiling or room in the same colour. This approach creates an alternative definition of space, and blurs the distinction between walls and ceilings and between the idea of a wall and a canvas.



photographer: stephen varady + john gollings

Finally, the Fullagar Residence is a house designed for its occupants. The design has taken their needs and desires and shaped a house around those. A house that is practical and comfortable, but one that is also attempting to critique the notion of house, and in particular, the Sydney suburban house. This house dares to say, here I am, and I am different... and I am very good, even though I'm different...

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Daniel Marshall | House in Orkney, New Zealand

The complete residential project in 2007 from New Zealand Architects, Daniel Marshall Architect. A densely suburban area in Mt. Manganui presented a section with a sharp two metre drop mid-site. This ground condition gave rise to four separate half levels housed within two distinct sculptural forms, articulated by a gentile stairway at the fulcrum.














The space between the two functional areas, framed by the stair, form the courtyard areas and provide an interface, often lacking on small sites, between public and private spaces. The Eastern form houses the garage and the public spaces with the Western form accommodates the private spaces. From the entry driveway the clean white forms evoke the prows of two ocean vessels vying for the attention of Mt. Manganui.






































Daniel Marshall | House in Orkney, New Zealand

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Stevens Lawson Architects on Hobson Bay House

This is an amazing Stevens Lawson Architects project called Hobson Bay House. This Hobson Bay House was awarded as the Winner of NZIA New Zealand Award for Architecture in 2004. This award-winning house sits majestically on a north sloping section with a dramatic outlook to Hobson Bay, in Auckland, New Zealand, adjacent to an enclave of iconic New Zealand modern houses.





















The living areas, sky deck and main bedroom are located on the upper floor to take in the panoramic harbour views. The upper level functions as a semi independent apartment for the parents, while the ground floor level has two bedrooms for the teenage sons, a living area and kitchenette, as well as garaging.

A small hydraulic elevator provides for transportation of supplies to the upper level, and to future proof the home (the owners do not want to be forced to move in old age).





















The upper level reads as a sculpted concrete mass hollowed-out to house the occupants and to reveal the sea view. This heavy mass sits on a lightweight base of timber and glass, creating a sense of tension and daring. The top floor overhangs the ground floor, effectively forming a verandah around the base.



























The interior is a calm and sensuous experience featuring soft glowing skylights, white plaster walls, and natural timber floors.


















































The exterior is interplay of textured surfaces, giving the house an earthy handmade quality; rough concrete, smooth concrete, timber and glass are contrasted in a sculptural composition.



























Photographed by Mark Smith

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Irving Smith Jack Architects | Neas Harris House

Neas Harris House
Moorhouse Avenue, Nelson
Completed 2005

Irving Smith Jack Architects Ltd is widely recognised as a leading New Zealand architectural practice with a strong focus on environmental design. They are three partners with an experienced team of architectural assistants offering skills and support.

















This Neas Harris family home occupies a challenging hillside site with a very small buildable area. Constrained by neighbours on two sides and by a steep slope to the Maitai River, the site nevertheless captures panoramic views, enjoys all day sun, and is sheltered from prevailing winds.

A three-levelled approach places living and service spaces on a main central level. Master bedroom, study, and bathroom are located above, with rumpus and childrens bedrooms below. The entrance is the key space within a tight plan, a hub for circulation. Its floating stair, flooded with light from above and crafted in Tasmanian oak and steel, lends a sense of space and a level of craft and delight to this daily encounter.

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Walker Architects - Mark's House

This is a great Mark's residence that is located on the western slope of Ngapipi Road looking back towards the city over Hobson Bay, narrow site with dropping contours to the view led to a three level building platform for a four bedroom home with views from all levels across the bay to the city. This beautiful Mark's House was designed by New Zealand Architects "Walker Architects" that have been responsible for a wide range of New Zealand and International projects since 1932.











A Travertine feature wall cuts diagonally through the house to emphasize the site length and anchor the house to the site. The wall begins by forming the front on the garage, continues through the house, extending vertically through all three levels and lines through to the outdoor fire place.












Materials are limited to concrete, stone, timber, glass and copper to provide a clean, uncluttered and low maintenance home, materials that would age well with the house.

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Walker Architects - John's House

A new home in a bush setting, designed by Walker Architects, this house has has been planned to immerse in the spectacular bush scenery with views across rural land beyond, within the strict owner criteria.












A balanced mix of modern, low maintenance materials has helped to create a relaxed, comfortable living environment.












The kitchen is 'the centre of the home' tucked behind a double backed fire to the lounge. The granite bench tops reflect the green stone of the local stream bed.












The home’s roofs fold down to protect the building from the winds but open up for long vistas and close contact with the bush.

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Wilson and Hill Architects | Garden Road House

This is another project on residential architecture work for private clients of Wilson and Hill Architects. They believe that high quality design results from the continuity of the design process and the intensive dialogue with the client, consultants, contractors and end users.


















This Residence was built on an established site and designed to provide the clients with a strong connection to their garden. The house is constructed of concrete and is clad in a combination of stone and aluminium. Extensive use of glass ensures the exterior of the house will require little maintenance in the years to come.


















The entry to the house provides a visual connection to the gallery space allowing the display of art and furniture while allowing views to the garden beyond. A see through stair provides a visual connection with the first floor. The living area of the house looks out onto a swimming pool and a garden water feature beyond, this layered arrangement gives the site a feeling of luxury and space.

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Max Herriot and John Melhuish | Fort Dorset House, Wellington

Since forming HMA in 1997, Max Herriot and John Melhuish have successfully completed many award winning projects throughout New Zealand, including single and multi-unit residences, specialist commercial buildings, galleries and wineries.

















This is an example of Max Herriot and John Melhuish project in single residence, a family home on a steep Wellington site. This family home is a composition of simple geometric forms inserted into the hillside and held together by the strong horizontal roof plane. Assuming bulk and location of future neighbours, the house works to maximise the sun and views while maintaining a level of privacy within the subdivision. Solid cement sheet forms with punched glazed openings address the neighbouring sites. These forms latch onto the more weighty plastered concrete blockwork walls. The remainder of the house is a lighter exposed steel structure with large glazed walls.


























The garage and entry are placed on the lowest level so the bedrooms and living spaces are elevated to make the most of the views. The house steps up the hill to give the rooms connection to the exterior creating terraces and access to the upper levels.

















A visual connection from the kitchen to the dining, lounge and family room that we can look up at the interior of this house.

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Thornycroft St House by Wilson and Hill Architects

This contemporary Thornycroft St House that was designed by Wilson & Hill Architects utilises a natural pallet of materials. The exterior is composed of vertical planes of concrete and stone, which contrast with horizontal timber and copper.


















This Thornycroft St House is designed as a series of wings providing "minimum distances between different areas of the house". Each wing is orientated to allow for use at different times of the day, and to provide distinct views of the mature gardens and adjacent river.

















Natural materials of oak timber, black granite, and travertine marble create a complementary interior..

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