RAHO

this project is for a Sydney-based family who wanted to reference, but not be literal to, the old family connections & history of the site, on Auckland's North Shore Bays: a new house; a new start; a new generation; new memories/ but in no way discarding that which made the sense of place

the project is driven by an investigation into the idea of the floating pavilion, with an overlay of retro & the suburban model: built-in furniture, pattern, happy families/ it is also driven by the pohutakawa tree to the north & the fantastic elevation for views out to the water/

how to deal with view? Hillery Priest's TL_ONE does this in a magical way - choosing to frame part of an expansive view rather than to open it all up/ framing the views for RAHO & allowing multiple spaces upon which to enjoy the experiences, were a driver/

at the time I was re-visiting the Case Study Houses (1945-1966) of L.A./ low-cost prototypes; structural clarity & openness; a merging of social & artistic concerns; indoor-outdoor living; of staged exhibitionism made famous by the images of Julius Shulman; & of new beginnings/ the parallel for the local context & built environment for this project was uncanny/ being a 70's kid myself, I totally related

the project aims to turn its back on neighbours & the scrub vegetation/ it will allow controlled entry of light & view into the south elevation/ privacy is maintained by the use of elongated slotted windows in the mid-cladding while the main views are framed to the water/ the balance of texture & material found in the Case Study Houses will be reinforced in this project with crazy paving to the courtyard to reflect the shadow of the protected pohutakawa tree canopy and by the sharpness of glass & steel/

the project is completed to concept stage