Elizabeth Street

OTHER ENTRANTS

Elizabeth Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland

Submitted by:  Dorrington Atcheson Architects Ltd

Owner:  Adam Bartlett & Annabelle Borrie

Architect:  Dorrington Atcheson Architects Ltd

Consulting Engineer:  Harris Foster Consulting

Contractor:  Anderson Concepts Construction

Summary:

After years of living in a draughty timber-framed villa the clients chose to explore the many advantages a concrete house would undeniably offer, most importantly the thermal benefits, sound-proofing and solidity, to ensure a warm, dry and comfortable home for a family of four. Another consideration was the structural honesty and natural finish the use of concrete would give the project.  The clients liked the spontaneity in the process, where the pattern and finish of the concrete would not be fully known until the formwork had been removed, allowing every wall and finish to be unique.

The location in a residential 1 zone of predominantly timber houses provided a considerable challenge and after a prolonged consultation period, ultimately a court date was required to defend the use of their choice of building material.

This new build is a composition of concrete, steel and glass that gives a handshake to the past, allowing it to sit comfortably amidst the traditional houses that surround it.

A bolts-and-all approach to the design creates a dwelling that is intentionally challenging with each element of its structural make-up exposed. This family home fits the clients’ brief for an interpretation of contemporary living that celebrates the raw expression of materials with an unexpected combination of openness and enclosure.