This modern contemporary family home was built for a young family on a spacious lifestyle property, located in Halswell, Christchurch. The brief was for a family home that would capture the sun, provide protection from the prevailing winds, incorporate sheltered outdoor spaces, as well as opening up onto a northern outdoor grassed area and to feature natural materials. With a covered cedar clad walkway connecting the double garage to the house, upon entry you a drawn to the outdoor courtyard space and the striking cedar awnings and screens beyond. The house consists of two main wings, aligned down two opposing axes, which together provide shelter from prevailing winds, capture the sun at different times of the day and assist with cross ventilation of the entire house. Strong sightlines down each axis provide strong visual connections from both indoors and out.
With each wing framing the northern courtyard, the plan offers visual interest and diversity between spaces, where sightlines through the house connect you to the outdoor spaces. With an open plan living, well-appointed kitchen and dining area which extends out to a covered outdoor living/entertaining area, positioned to provide shade during the day but capture the evening sun, offers the flexibility required for a modern family. The bedroom spaces are efficiently aligned to capture the morning sun, with views out to vegetable gardens. Elegant compositions and natural materials feature throughout; from the horizontal roof bands, oiled cedar weatherboards and plastered concrete block walls (inside and out), all contribute to the warm atmosphere and economical living spaces of the home.
