A Lofty Retreat – Green House by Daniel Marshall Architects
A coordinated coming together of horizontal planes, Green House sits overlooking Hobson Bay from its generous and lofty interior volumes. Daniel Marshall Architects combines restraint and a sense of the monolithic through select materiality to open up the threshold between inside and out, whilst still being overtly private.
While open and inviting from its large-spanning glass entrance, Green House slowly tapers formally into more intimate spaces within its bounding walls. Located in Auckland’s Remuera, the house is a study in form, where the larger formal masses are comprised of a series of horizontal planes that intersect on site and open up to areas of gathering and likewise close off where more privacy is required. In essence, it is a play on contrasts, between open and closed, solid and transparent and between large and small. The cohesive whole makes way for the internal lofty volumes that comprise the home. Daniel Marshall Architects uses restraint in the select materiality and complements the monolithic gestures with softened landscapes that offer places of seclusion and retreat.
The interiors, with joinery by Mark Lynch, speak to the same contemporary approach as the exterior, where clean lines offer extended sight lights and direct views outward. Stepped platforms delineate internal zones and integrate custom seating and storage elements throughout, ensuring uninterrupted outward views can be maintained. With enviable views of the Hobson Bay to the north-east, full-height glazing connects the residential experience beyond the built walls. Positioned diagonally across the site, horizontal planes of varying sizes taper and pivot to align with the water view, while vertical planes of concrete, stone and glass offer directional cues.
Pre-cast concrete, large spanning glazing and stone elements are softened by subtle layering of textures and textiles that create variation. The balance created between volume and function is articulated through select furniture pieces and objects throughout. While the entry starts off as an open experience with an invitation toward the open void above the living area beyond, the home circles a private landscaped area and pool to the rear, arranged in an L-shape. The combination of open and closed creates a series of compression and release moments as you move through the spaces, which reinforces their functional boundaries at the same time.
Green House combines the contemporary with measured restraint to formally arrange long linear geometries on site that open up to the natural and abundant views beyond. Daniel Marshall Architects has captured the best aspects of the site and directed sight lines through formal gestures toward these focal points, creating a home that is connected, private and that embraces its enviable location.
