Simplicity and Restraint – Valley House by Keshaw McArthur

Crafting a contemporary language based on the proportions and principles of the neoclassicist style that underpins Auckland’s Victorian-era villas, Keshaw McArthur unites old and new through an emphasis on restraint and simplicity to create a calm and considered family home.

Faced with a large Victorian villa in Remuera that had undergone some previous renovation works, Keshaw McArthur delved into an exploration of the origins of this familiar style to inform their response. The original renovation “we believed was clumsy in its appearance and the way it functioned,” explain co-founders Xuan McArthur Nguyen and Katrina Keshaw. “We, therefore, explored the formal language which influenced the New Zealand Victorian villa style. This led us to neoclassicism and the proportions, order and architectonics of this style – and how these could be experimented with using current materials and technologies.”

Faced with a large Victorian villa in Remuera that had undergone some previous renovation works, Keshaw McArthur delved into an exploration of the origins of this familiar style to inform their response.

Based on this framework, the new extension and renovation of the original villa were conceived as engaging in a dialogue, with the old and new each informing one another. “We wanted to retain the character of the villa and complement this with an addition that was sympathetic to the style,” says Xuan. “Experientially, we wanted to create a holistic and peaceful space that flows between the old and new which could act as a counterpoint to the busy, modern world outside.”

A pared-back, restrained approach was key to creating a sense of unity and cohesion throughout. A focus on the play of light and shadow, the subtlety of shifts in hue and texture inherent in the materiality of stone, timber, metalwork and polished plaster, and how many can be integrated into one creates a deliberately calm and careful sensibility. “This feeling of stillness seeks to create an aesthetic which can stand the test of time and can be layered upon with furniture and belongings as these continue to change – an environment which has a certain depth and presence but does not speak too loudly,” Katrina reflects.

The extension is designed around a large bay window that overlooks the pool terrace. “By stripping away any excess, we arrived at a refined interpretation of this well-known form,” she explains. This reductionist approach was integral to the design process, which “involved a constant questioning of essentials – how elements can function and be presented in their purest form,” Xuan says. When open, hidden doors become one with the walls, handles are integrated into door frames, and the kitchen breaks down the traditional barriers in the common arrangement of main kitchen and concealed scullery, becoming not only about preparing food but an inherent focal point of the home’s social activity.

Conceived as a gathering place, the kitchen eschews a conventional design and instead revolves around dual monolithic stone islands lit from above by a skylight, a black glass screen acting as a veil between the otherwise open butler’s pantry while the perimeter is warmed by timber. “The clients are really well informed in terms of kitchen design,” says Katrina. “They were interested from the beginning to create an experience which was a place of exchange and interaction, and so there was a nice ongoing dialogue between us when it came to design decisions and material selections.”

Conceived as a gathering place, the kitchen eschews a conventional design and instead revolves around dual monolithic stone islands lit from above by a skylight, a black glass screen acting as a veil between the otherwise open butler’s pantry while the perimeter is warmed by timber.

Fisher & Paykel appliances were key to the successful execution of this design and their potential for integration and distribution is used to its fullest. “Using Fisher & Paykel’s diverse range of cooking and refrigeration products, we were able to explore the idea of a free-flowing kitchen,” Xuan explains. Premium integrated products such as the Column Refrigerators and Freezers, CoolDrawer™, DishDrawer™ and additional dishwasher enabled the architects to distribute the appliances more evenly throughout the kitchen without impeding on the pared-back aesthetic. As well as placing appliances in the main kitchen, the distributed approach also allowed them to be situated in the rear scullery, significantly enhancing the kitchen’s performance.

As a family of five, the clients’ required a large number of appliances, with multiple ovens, including a companion steam oven, and a coffee machine non-negotiable. It was important, therefore, that they complement the overall design approach, and the minimalist, all-black design ensured this was achieved.“In our desire to create a sense of calm, it was important that the appliances and other product elements did not dominate visually,” says Katrina. “The Fisher & Paykel selections for this project worked in seamlessly with this approach, with certain items being integrated and others expressed in a pared-back manner. The recessive nature of the appliances meant that we were able to harmoniously integrate these into custom-designed elements such as the steel hanging shelf.”

Fisher & Paykel appliances were key to the successful execution of this design and their potential for integration and distribution is used to its fullest

For clients, the appliances are the key to the kitchen fulfilling the family’s needs. They have expressed that “being able to have the extra products we wanted, like the coffee maker and steam oven (which we use all the time!) and having them blend in just as seamlessly as the integrated appliances has meant we could get the best of both worlds.” And while they love how the kitchen looks the performance is just as, if not more, important.“We cook all the time and love how the kitchen design and the appliances make it so easy, whether we’re making a family meal or cooking up a storm when we’re entertaining.”

Perhaps fittingly considering the project began when the clients initially called on Keshaw McArthur regarding some remedial work required for the garden walls, the outdoor space is given equal attention to the architecture and interiors. The architects were mindful of the relationship between the proportions of the indoor and outdoor spaces and of the changeable Auckland climate. While linen curtains soften the thresholds, wide openings and the fact that outdoor spaces are similarly proportioned to those inside mean that “as you move from inside to outside and vice versa, you aren’t faced with a large shift in vastness – reducing spatial hierarchy,” Katrina explains. “This, coupled with the continuation of similar material tones from inside to outside, looks to blur the threshold of spaces and in turn how they are used.”

This emphasis on outdoor space carries through to the outdoor kitchen and dining area. A DCS Grill from Fisher & Paykel means cooking can take place outdoors, while the canopy overhead provides protection from the elements, extending the utility of this outside space throughout the seasons. The elevated terraces take in views over the pool to leafy neighbourhood beyond, while a glimpse of the corrugated iron pitched roof of the original villa is visible above the new pavilion, creating a singular moment of reflection on the alignment of old and new.

Bringing together the two by drawing on the original architecture of the villa and interpreting its qualities through a contemporary lens, Keshaw McArthur explores the possibilities inherent in Auckland’s heritage villas. The result is a timeless and enduring home.