Project Description & Client Brief
The Nelson Orthodontics project is a response to a client who had outgrown their small, central Nelson clinic. They had been looking to provide an additional clinic for the growing Richmond population and when this residential corner site (with main road frontage) came available it seemed the perfect location to achieve this. It is predominantly younger patients that receive orthodontic work and the close proximity of five surrounding schools meant that travel time for patients would be significantly reduced. The brief was to provide a highly functional and technologically advanced orthodontic clinic with a sense of openness within. Patient flow (for shorter appointments) was an important consideration and an open plan clinic was conceived alongside private consultation rooms for longer appointments. The possibility of additional tenancies for related healthcare providers was desired for an ongoing rental income. Our client was sympathetic to the existing residential built environment and wanted to reduce the visual impact of a commercial building on the site. Our response was a two level building that presents a perforated screen to the street with a bespoke artwork that would give something back to the community.
Consultation with Maori artist, Robin Slow resulted in a facade that brings delight. Robin’s work ‘Haumanu’ depicts "Manu (birds) which are our connectors between earth and sky, between the physical and the spiritual. Haumanu is to restore to health, or rejuvenate." From inside the clinic, filtered light and pocket views are other benefits provided by the external screening. Tasked with creating an interior that wasn’t another ‘sterile medical environment’ we set to bring a homely warmth to the space with a living green-wall, pops of colour and oak-look resilient flooring. The result is a space that is filled with energy, creating a highly comfortable interior for both employees and patients alike.

Site & Context
This highly visible corner site on a Primary Collector Road (Salisbury Road) is a flat section only two minutes drive from the centre of Richmond township. With its long edge facing North East, the site receives all day sun with Eastern views to the Richmond Ranges. The context is predominantly residential on the Western side of Salisbury Road with the opposite side of the road home to three school campuses. Significant commercial activity is located on the same road 500m to the South and 800m to the North. The design was kept low and long to reduce the scale of the building to be more in keeping with the residential surroundings. The removal of boundary fences to the street keeps the site feeling open; inviting paved areas and planting were used to accentuate the connection between public and private. The importance of this site as a commercial operation was significant; being the only orthodontist in the Nelson/Tasman region there are patients travelling from Golden Bay and the West Coast. Reductions in travel time of up to thirty minutes each way are being achieved when compared to travelling to the Nelson clinic. By accommodating two other healthcare tenancies the building provides a valuable community facility within this rapidly growing region.

Constraints
Building in a residential zone meant that our involvement extended to the resource consent application along with a separately engaged planner. To make best use of the site for commercial purposes for our client (as well as allowing for sufficient car parking), the design infringed planning rules related to boundary setbacks, height, site coverage and daylight admission. However, the infringements were intentionally kept to a minimum and the overall design of the building was conceived in such a way that the scheme was not out of character within its context. Another requirement of the Resource Consent was that all tenancies were to be healthcare providers. By locating vehicle access on the side street with ample turning space we were able to reduce the effect of the additional vehicle movements. Other constraints were related to noise, overhead power lines and stormwater design. The design locates all plant and equipment in the fully enclosed ground floor plant room to reduce both the visual and acoustic impact. Three 6000L underground stormwater detention tanks were designed into the proposal to reduce the impact of the increased catchment area on the public system.

Material Selection
Our material selection was largely driven by the need for low maintenance and building occupant safety. As a health facility the emphasis on a structure that is seismically resilient was paramount. Lightweight and durable powdercoated aluminium weatherboards require very little maintenance and give a refined look. These weatherboards, along with the powdercoated perforated screens are coated with a product that achieves a 25 year warranty. Exposed precast concrete panels are also durable and with an anti-graffiti coating that will stand up to a potentially harsh public environment. A concrete floor slab and mid-floor constructed of precast ribs with timber infill were chosen predominantly to meet the engineering requirements while also having the ability for a service cavity under the dental chairs for electrical/water/air supply and suction. Timber construction was investigated for the project but costs were prohibitive to the development going ahead at the time. A lightweight timber framed first floor wall structure and steel framed roof allow for two fully open tenancy spaces with complete flexibility for interior reconfiguration in the future. Internally, a double height living green-wall provides a level of texture to the entrance. Resilient and hard wearing floor surfaces such as carbon neutral carpet tiles introduce colour, while a warm natural feel is achieved from the oak-look vinyl flooring in clinical areas. The reception counter formed from an opal acrylic allows for a striking backlit feature upon arrival into the clinic. Acoustic panels above reception (also a carbon neutral product) provide attenuation to voices with their undulating appearance.

Robin Slow Collaboration
When investigating the potential for the aluminium screens we were seeking a design that fitted with the program for a community health facility and resonated with the local culture. The client wanted a piece that also represented the practice moving forwards with this new location and new facility. Golden Bay artist Robin Slow was approached as the spiral forms present in his oil paintings evoked a sense of movement. He also has a deep knowledge of our local culture and sense of place. Robin was commissioned to create a custom artwork that would reflect these values as well as be suitable to transpose onto perforated metal. Robin explains that the ‘manu (birds) have been placed in spiral forms (never ending, moving on a continuum) to show a sense of movement between the physical and spiritual realms. In one sense it could be seen as looking upwards but also looking down from above. Tui are said to represent the kaitiaki or guardians of knowledge. The Kowhaiwhai leaf forms were placed there for the connection to the whenua. It could also be seen as haumanu (restore to health, rejuvenate) or separate hau manu (breath, flight sound of the bird). Haumanu is also another word for clinic.’

Photography by Virginia Woolf Photography

Photography by Virginia Woolf Photography

Briefed with a respectful wish for privacy, our challenge was to provide a sheltered haven overlooking the Waimea Inlet while retaining the small scale of the Monaco vernacular.

A private oasis in a developed suburban neighbourhood, Te Matāihi Rua was envisioned as a collection of small gable forms linked by protected courtyards and covered walkways. The rotated forms and arrangement down the site conceals the scale of the development. The welcoming but private entry also provides the opportunity to draw visitors through to the main living space, with the view visible through the full depth of the home upon entering the front door. Extensive landscaping has allowed the home to nestle into the site and enhance the sense of privacy. 

The house program is designed around being primarily occupied by the couple only, while the study, guest bed and bathroom are quietly concealed in the entry wing, easily passed without notice as occupants are drawn to the sun streaming in through the glazed linkway. Designed during the first Covid lockdowns and built through the second, Te Matāihi Rua welcomed the client home in early 2022, a peaceful retreat that has successfully allowed the client to downsize to a more manageable, easily maintained and accessible home on the peninsula.

Photography by Virigina Woolf Photography
Construction by Bergman Construction

Project Description & Client Brief
Our clients approached us with the typical brief of designing a new home for them to retire to. The challenge, they are moving from the Richmond flats up onto the steep Richmond Hills. The design approach was to create a single level dwelling spanning the top of the site, allowing the clients to capture the full panoramic views without being impacted by the neighbor in front. The main bedroom and entry wraps along the West frontage above the garage, creating a privacy screen to the street and neighbors across the road.
The board and batten cladding of the bedroom wing is extended as a screen to the entry garden, allowing the house to settle into the hillside while creating a softened transition zone between the motor court and entry. The guest wing is located behind the living and kitchen, able to be closed off during general use of the home while also providing a private space for guests with views over the terraced gardens to the East. The living spaces are spread across the length of the house, allowing the clients to move around to suit the sun, season and time of the day. Leading outside, the gardens wrap around the house in a series of terraces, while a concealed courtyard behind the dining room becomes a retreat during high winds and allows the clients a cozy reprieve from the open side of the house.

Site & Context
The home is located on a small steep section on the Richmond Hills with a predominantly 1:3 slope to the North, providing unimpeded views across Waimea Inlet. A large Tōtara tree dominates the south-west corner of the site, becoming a natural focal point for the dwelling as a grounding contrast to the open views to the North. The site is accessed from below in the West corner, allowing the opportunity to create a clean delineation between the hard landscape of the driveway, and the privacy of the home itself (after approaching the entry garden). Both the sites above and below were already constructed, allowing us to design around the existing roof and view lines to create a private home with minimal impact on its neighbours.

Constraints
Being a steep site on the Richmond Hills, the ground conditions and design of the retaining walls were key constraints to work around. Alongside the earthworks, the covenants set a defined maximum height for the building to reduce the impact of the home on the neighbor above the site. The project was also constructed through the 2021-22 period of material shortages and inflationary costs which were managed successfully throughout construction.

Material Selection
Durability, budget and ease of maintenance were key drivers for this project, with the design being conscious of the clients plans to retire into this home. Colorsteel wraps the rear of the home to provide a budget conscious, low maintenance cladding to the lesser occupied and service zones of the home. Contrasting this, Abodo Vulcan timber was introduced in the entry and around the deck where it could be easily maintained while providing a soft, biophilic cladding to evoke the relaxing atmosphere of a home. The main bedroom is wrapped in a ply and batten, with the batten continued across the steel structure of the entry garden as a screen. This cladding continues the rhythm of the metal cladding, while providing the texture and warmth of bandsawn timber, and the reduced maintenance of a painted cladding. Concrete blocks were chosen over precast concrete for the retaining walls, allowing the waterproofing of the retaining walls to be completed in a staged, safe manner without requiring further extensive trenching within close proximity of the neighbouring pool and boundary.
Continuing the concrete block around the motor court and garage allowed for a straightforward foundation with minimal maintenance and further enhances the contrast between the vehicle focused lower level and human-centered upper level. Traditional frame and truss construction was utilised for the majority of the build, with a small skillion roof section over the kitchen and dining that allows the dining area to retreat back from the deck and look up to the Tōtara above.

Shortlisted for the NZIA Nelson & Marlborough Architecture Awards 2024

Photography by Virginia Woolf Photography
Contractor | IMB Construction
Joiner | The Sellers Room
Landscape Architect | Meadow

Project Description & Client Brief
Presented with a 2-storey 1980's commercial building with seismic issues, an empty upper level office space, and a desire to provide much needed rental apartments for the city, this project was destined to present an adventure. Throw in the non-negotiable requirement for the long-term tenancies on the ground floor to remain fully operational and open throughout, and an existing building boxed in with a single access point and no room to move. This project allowed us to push for the reuse of the existing fabric, and utilise the seismic upgrades to insert the 4x new apartments complete with rooftop terraces, built around the existing central common stairwell.

Site & Context
Located within the hospitality area of Hardy Street in central Nelson, the existing 1980's 2-storey building fully occupies its site with precast walls to 3 sides and a single primary frontage to the street. The ground floor is occupied by long-term tenancies of a restaurant and food market, while the upper level offices have been empty for 5+ years. This end of Hardy Street has become a busy hospitality precinct, including popular bars and restaurants across the road and on the neighboring sites, while located on the site behind is the Quest serviced apartments.

Silver Award in NZ Commercial Project Awards 2024

Shortlisted for NZIA Nelson Marlborough Local Architecture Awards 2024
Photographer | Essential Images Photography
Contractor | Scott Construction
Structural Engineer | Vector Structural Engineers
Joiner | Waimea West Joinery

WINNER - NZIA Nelson Marlborough Branch Local Architecture Award 2020

Media:

WildTomato October 2019 - Home Feature
WildTomato September 2020 - NZIA Local Architecture Awards
Abodo Feature Project

A family summer tradition of camping at Kaiteriteri beach, segued our clients to purchase one of the last remaining flat sections in Kaiteriteri, overlooking the Kahu Close wetland. Their brief was for something unique, a balance between the traditional kiwi summer bach and honouring our client’s modern living requirements. The bach would have separate zones for the adults and children, be designed to entertain numerous family members, and also provide a private retreat.

We designed the bach as a series of sleeping cabins with glass linkways, built around a central entertaining space and outdoor deck opening toward the wetland and gardens. Utility spaces positioned along the west edge provide a privacy buffer to the street, and the kitchen, beautifully crafted by Living Design, does away with the typical island and opens the area as an informal, relaxed kitchen zone.

The owner’s bedroom, ensuite, and wardrobe is located in its own cabin, capable of being closed off from the rest of the bach through the floating glass linkway. A second cabin contains the guest bedroom and a large bunk room, giving the bach an indoor sleeping capacity of nine, while the oversized carport and adjacent parking spaces are designed to accommodate the extended family’s caravans. The main bathroom, concealed behind plywood interior linings, caters for these large numbers by having separate wc, vanity, and shower spaces that can all be used independently.

The singular forms of the buildings coupled with their glass linkways, visually fragments the scale of this project despite utilising the full 200m² site coverage allowance. The chosen material palette enhances this cabin-esque feel by using weathered timber shiplap horizontally on the sleeping cabins, vertically on the central cabin, with a contrasting black plywood façade wrapping the utility spaces. An oiled timber rainscreen system compliments the black plywood, with large entry and carport gates of the same materials allowing the front of the bach to be seamlessly closed off, providing total privacy.

This project was designed and constructed to a very tight timeline, ready for use over the client’s next summer holiday less than nine months after project initiation. Prefabrication of building components (Potius and Unispan) was critical, particularly with over 100 driven piles required to reach solid bearing well below the site level. Originally designed as a summer holiday bach, the owners have now been back every school holiday, enjoying the relaxed escape overlooking the wetland.

Photography by Dominique White

Bayview House is located less than a ten minute drive from central Nelson at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac overlooking Atawhai. The section is steeply sloped with a North West orientation. Coming from a hot climate in Australia, the clients wished to create a very well-insulated three bedroom house which maximised the views out towards the Nelson haven, boulder bank and mountain ranges beyond.

The garage – the main form visible from the street – is a simple black box with timber accents. The building then steps down the slope with the ground floor nestling into the land. Entry to the house is via a timber walkway with cedar pergola. The generous entry foyer descends into the kitchen and dining areas with the living area partially separated by a two-sided fireplace. Floor to ceiling glazing enhances the view and brings the expanse of the Nelson haven inside. The master bedroom is tucked behind the kitchen, with views out to a Japanese garden from the ensuite. A light-filled timber stairwell leads to the ground level which includes guest bedrooms and a sauna. Outdoor living is provided by a long balcony at first floor and a paved patio at ground floor, accessed off the bedrooms and sitting area.

The house has a crisp exterior colour palette of black aluminium cladding with contrasting white soffits. This monochrome scheme is continued through to the interior where a combination of dark and light joinery is used along with subtle timber notes and surprising pops of colour.

The house takes on a sculptural quality in its bold exterior form and crisp, clean aesthetic. The different level changes and careful placement of glazing creates a playful dance of light and shadow throughout the day, while a pared back interior provides a sense of calm for the inhabitants.

Atawhai Kids Preschool is located in a suburban neighborhood in Atawhai, Nelson and is an inviting and inspiring new home for an existing preschool located nearby. Our client wanted a modern, practical and functional building from which to run their busy, privately-owned centre. They had out grown their existing premises and were after a purpose built space that fit in well with its residential surroundings in terms of both scale and form.

The planning arrangement clearly separates office/staff space from the operational play areas via a warm cedar-lined entry lobby. The different use of spaces is also visually defined through the use of colour. The cedar lining inside extends to the outside continuing the rhythm of the battened surface to the south-east facade. The scale of the building is kept down from the street by low roofs over the utilitarian bathroom and sleep-room spaces. The grooved plywood of the high level cladding behind recedes back with its dark finish further reducing the visual impact to the street.

The separated interior play spaces for toddlers and infants are punctuated by a lower acoustic ceiling over a ‘quiet space’ providing a buffer for both volume and movement. Both play spaces flow through French doors out onto an expansive covered play deck and onto the grassed outdoor playground beyond.

The building provides for the many practical day to day needs of a preschool/daycare while having distinct street presence from the exterior and a playful yet highly functional interior that is visually engaging for pupils and well connected to the outside. The building offers a highly engaging space for the young people of this growing community to start their education.

Located in an established city neighbourhood, this contemporary home provides an urban retreat for its owners. A desire to live centrally, within walking distance of the city whilst maintaining privacy and an impression of seclusion was the driving force behind the design.

The long, north-facing site informed a narrow plan. Two outdoor living spaces were created. An intimate enclosed courtyard with a narrow reflection pond provides an outlook for the guest rooms and living spaces on the ground floor, while a raised lawn at the rear of the site leads to the inviting deep pool and pool house.

Upstairs, the master suite overlooks the rear lawn and pool area, providing glimpses above the adjacent rooftops. The home screens noise and provides privacy from the street. Careful placement of gardens create inviting internal landscape views, which lead guests along and blur the boundary between indoors and out.

A simple and restrained palette of materials and colours enhance the contrasting textures and strong shadow lines in the intense Nelson sun. Natural, honest materials reflect the colours in the surrounding landscape. Exposed concrete block with black mortar is used extensively to the street façade to provide a gritty urban strength, while the cedar cladding provides a soft warmth to the spaces beyond.

2019 Winner - NZIA Nelson / Marlborough Architecture Award

Pearson Bach is located in the alpine village of St Arnaud. Being the gateway to the Nelson Lakes area, it is a place of compelling natural beauty comprising mountains, lakes and beech forest. The site is elevated and steep, with a north-south orientation. To the south are expansive views over Lake Rotoiti and the mountains, and to the north, kanuka and manuka trees.

The steep cut at the front of the site presented a challenge for establishing access up to the bach. The boatshed is located at the base of the site with landscaped steps, boulders and tussock forming the ascent to the house. The design comprises a central sun court nestled between a bedroom wing at the rear and a living/master bedroom wing at the front. The two wings are connected by a gallery space, with a view into the courtyard and rugged landscape beyond. These separate wings with their mono-pitched roof forms echo the gradient of the site.

A striking orthogonal front elevation of pre-weathered steel provides a visual contrast to the dark stained board and batten cladding used elsewhere. Inside, the material palette is light and warm – natural cedar, cork flooring and natural timber veneer joinery. A feature raked cedar ceiling in the snug and master bedroom creates a sense of intimacy and frames the view, while a high-level cedar volume over the kitchen directs the gaze upwards.

Pearson Bach is a thoughtful response to the climate, site and clients. The layering of textures, spaces and views has resulted in a successful outcome that the clients enjoy in all seasons. The bach has a sculptural quality and a strong architectural presence which references the sloping mountains and distinct landscape of St Arnaud. It was a National Winner in the Master Builder House of the Year Awards.

Brown House is an iconic Nelson historic settlers building with a rich and colourful past dating back to the 1860’s. It is located in the heart of central Nelson on a long and narrow site stretching between two busy streets. The clients wished to create a unique inner-city dwelling that could be used as short-term accommodation.

Like many older Nelson inner-city homes, the original Brown House was long, narrow and dark, with a variety of uses over its time, including retail and hospitality. The existing building was in a state of disrepair with a lot of the finishing timber damaged or removed. With hardly any original materials and features left, it required extensive renovation and modernisation. 

Retaining only the front facade, the house was stripped back to the framing and reconfigured into a three bedroom dwelling that can be arranged in several ways to sleep up to six guests. The house has a strong street presence – the weatherboards aptly painted a chocolate brown colour contrasted with white window facings and shutters, with the entry being marked by a bright pink front door. A long hallway leads down to the light-filled dining, kitchen and living area. The sun-soaked verandah upstairs and generous courtyard at ground level create a little urban oasis amongst the industrial city fabric.

Brown House is a thoughtful and playful response to heritage controls, the site and program. It is a heritage gem brought back to life, adding another chapter to its vibrant history.

Featured in Wild Tomato's September issue on heritage homes: Salvaging the Past for the Future.

Photos by Kate Webster Photography

The Holliday House is located on a thirteen acre section set amongst the rural landscape of the Moutere Valley. The site has a north-south orientation and is gently sloping, with a large pond in the centre of the section. The property has expansive views out to rolling hills, farmland and the mountain ranges beyond.

The clients required a house that would suit just the two of them, as well as accommodate their adult children and extended family. A driveway along the southern boundary leads people up to the house, with the entry being marked by a bright red door.

The house is separated into three main wings with a separate garage / workshop. The living wing opens up onto a generous north-facing courtyard with views over the pond to the orchards beyond. This orientation creates a sun-trap for summer living and allows for passive solar gain during winter. The guest wing can be accessed separately if required, and closed off from the main house. The master wing is a quiet sanctuary with an ensuite overlooking the pool area.

The gabled roof forms are reminiscent of the barn-like buildings dotted around the Moutere landscape, however with a modern take using dark-stained vertical cedar cladding. Internally, the material palette comprises polished concrete floors, a pitched cedar-batten ceiling, macrocarpa trusses and a fireplace crafted from local Lee Valley stone. Cedar shelving houses books and objects, and there are designated spaces for art, music and entertaining.

Spaces are separate but open, allowing views through to other areas. The house sits slightly elevated above the pond and extensive landscaping allows it to settle into the land and its surroundings. It is a house which compliments the owner's lifestyle and one they can enjoy now and into the future.

Photos by Oliver Weber Photography

Approaching Redbox as long term friends, the owners came to us with an inherent understanding of how we work and what they wanted to achieve. They had purchased an existing property on the exposed north edge of the Monaco peninsula, with amazing private views over the bay.

After first designing for extensive alterations of the existing house, the owners decided to look at the site as a blank slate. The new house is cranked across the site to optimize views and create private entertainment areas oriented for the afternoon sun. Multiple terraces around the house create protected outdoor zones regardless of the wind direction. The main terraces stagger down into the landscape, allowing party guests to transition towards the fire pit as the sun sets in the distance.

Designed to adapt to the owners requirements during the life of the home, the home is equipped with a platform lift from the garage level, and ensuite access direct from all the bedrooms. The lower level studio can also be used to provide future passive income, while the extruded aluminium cladding was selected for its ease of maintenance and long term durability.

This project has become a new home base for the owners as they tour the country in their campervan, allowing for a sense of remaining continually on holiday while maintaining the pleasurable touches of a home.

Havenview House is located on an elevated north-facing site overlooking the Nelson Haven and Port area. A level building platform was created within the sloped contours of the site and the house sits prominently on the hillside, taking advantage of the views and sun.

The house is comprised of a series of textured boxes clad in zinc, cedar and stone. A central double-height entry space provides a voluminous approach into the house. The open plan living, kitchen and dining is the main hub of the home and overlooks the decks, pool and view beyond. Sliding doors allow the spaces to be opened up or closed off as required. A private master bedroom on the ground floor is tucked away behind the living areas, while the kids and guest bedrooms are on the first floor with a hallway that doubles as play space.

A series of platforms for outdoor living are provided with separate deck and lawn areas, and the lower pool area which is set down from the house. Landscaping and hedging delineate the house from the pool and provide privacy from the neighbouring houses below. A wide overhanging eave outside the dining area allows the deck to be utilised in sun or rain.

The contemporary form of Havenview House has a commanding street presence in which the materials contrast and complement each other simultaneously. It is a house which encompasses the surrounding landscape and beauty of the Nelson area, and is a joy to inhabit.

Photos by Oliver Weber Photography

This project consisted of the interior refit to the existing Art Block at Motueka High School. The existing building, constructed circa 1960 and altered in the late 1980’s, was made up of a rabbit-warren of rooms and corridors that were dark and cluttered.

The brief was to provide a modern, light-filled and well-connected environment in which staff and students would enjoy teaching and learning in. The existing internal corridor was converted into useable teaching space to reduce the amount of unnecessary circulation, and the main entry was relocated to the northern side of the building to create a link with the outdoor area and provide a break out area in summer.

Drawing on the idea of a collective studio space, the proposed design involved opening up the separate areas to encourage a collaborative working environment.  The interior of the block was stripped back to a shell and a central plywood pod was inserted into the space between two classrooms, which are linked by a shared access way. This plywood pod contains the communal areas that are used by both classes – a sink pod, darkroom, photography room, office pod and walkway leading to the computer lab and breakout space.

Existing items were salvaged and re-incorporated where possible, while new finishes and colours were chosen to highlight and delineate different areas. The main classrooms look through to the breakout spaces with bold colours to define and personalise their use. The finishes of the main classroom spaces are reflective of a gallery-like, industrial palette – white, grey, black and timber – a muted backdrop to the colourful art on display.

The Art Block has been transformed into a light and uplifting space which fosters creativity and is enjoyed by both the staff and students.

The Pitt & Moore Lawyers Office project is part of a larger rebuild on this centrally located site in Richmond owned by Network Tasman. Pitt and Moore Lawyers were existing tenants in a nearby 2-storey building that had been seismically assessed and found to be well below current design standards.  The decision was made to relocate the Pitt and Moore offices into this existing 174 square metre building (105sm down and 69sm up) and that it would be strengthened and refitted to current codes.

The building was originally built in 1958 as a store for the Waimea Electric Power Board. The construction consisted of ground floor reinforced concrete slab; timber mezzanine floor supported on an exposed steel frame; insitu concrete walls and columns; steel roof trusses supporting timber purlins and sarking. The initial seismic assessment made by the Structural Engineer gave the building a rating of 17% NBS. The prospective tenant Pitt & Moore was moving from a building with a 16% NBS rating and wanted 100% NBS.

The tenancy is part of a larger building so the building upgrade and strengthening had to take into account the whole building. There was a desire by both the client and Architect to create an industrial feel to reference the history of the building, so eccentric braced frames were proposed in both directions. As the tenancy is relatively narrow it was decided to use insitu concrete shear walls in the transverse direction. The upgraded structure achieves 100% NBS and the exposed frames provide the desired industrial feel.

The new office fitout design respects the raw nature of the building, using a limited palette of materials and colours. New structural frames have purposely been left exposed. New insulation and corrugated metal roofing were added on top of the existing sarked roof structure, which has now been revealed and stained to become a feature of the interior space.

A new zinc clad verandah has been added to provide shelter to the frameless glass entry doors. The reception lobby remains a spacious double height void, with polished concrete floor and new grand steel stair accessing offices located on the upper level. Meeting rooms, staff facilities and support rooms are located downstairs.

By incorporating and exposing the new seismic structure, the overall finished result is a safe character-filled office environment. It is one that the tenant enjoys working in and the client is proud of.

Located beside the Waimea Estuary, this house has been designed to create a warm contemporary family home. The house is set out on an east - west axis to maximise northern sunlight penetration, which is controlled with louvres and overhangs.

The planning has allowed for the creation of three outdoor areas, each with their own unique identity through finishes and planting. These are sunny and sheltered from the predominate winds.

The garage is linked to the house with a feature pergola and together with an underlit decorative pool, accentuates the entrance. A full height red door punches through the cedar cladding into the main living area, which is open plan and flows seamlessly out to the terraces adjacent. A smaller 'snug' living space provides an intimate sitting area. Located upstairs is the master bedroom that opens to its own balcony with expansive westerly views of the estuary.

Built in natural materials including vertical cedar, local stone, Lawson's Cypress, and copper details, it will weather and age gracefully. Sustainable features such as solar hot water, thick insulation, polished concrete floors which store the sun's warmth and LED lighting have been used extensively.

The combination of materials, lighting and landscaping is successful in providing the perfect setting to enhance the owners' lifestyle and a wonderful backdrop for entertaining family and friends.

This extension to the Tasman District Council main office building in Richmond was designed to accommodate staff who were previously located in other buildings nearby. The approximately 1000 sqm two level addition relocates the main public service centre, meeting rooms and customer support offices to the ground floor Queen Street frontage. Open plan offices are located at first floor to accommodate TDC Engineering services. The new planning has freed up space elsewhere in the complex to accommodate other staff and has lead to better staff communication and efficiencies.

The new addition provides a visual connection with the street and definition of the street edge. Landscaping elements provide separation between the street spaces and those inside the building.

A new timber canopy cantilevered over the footpath highlights the new entrance to the double height public foyer. Two feature columns are detailed to represent stylised Nikau palms, which are accentuated by feature lighting at night. A secondary public entrance from the east car park end is defined by an existing magnolia tree that has been carefully protected during construction.

The new light filled public service centre is a warm and inviting space. Natural light and ventilation is drawn into the upper floor offices through a raised section of roof creating a light filled spacious interior.

The bulk, form and siting of the building have been well managed to contribute to the building complex and spaces around it. A dark grey zinc seamed cladding is appropriately civic and contemporary. Silver anodised vertical louvres provide contrast and shadowing while controlling solar heat gain. The composition is coherently resolved and includes an attractive degree of richness and articulation. It successfully links in with other buildings in the complex both in its alignments and its aesthetics.

We were asked to design alterations and additions to an existing 1980's beachfront holiday house located at Tata Beach in Golden Bay. The owners had holidayed here for many years and particularly loved the location. The floor plan was altered and extended to give improved flow between internal spaces and to the outside courtyards, with a new paved outdoor courtyard located adjacent to the dining wing suitable for BBQs. Large windows and doors open up the sea view, while privacy is maintained from the house and courtyard to the street side through cedar screens and careful arrangement of the entry elevations.

Vertical shiplap cedar and aluminium tray cladding was selected as they are low maintenance and natural looking to suit the context of the beach setting. Macrocarpa trusses and plywood ceilings are a feature of the kitchen and dining space, combining with the cedar linings to enhance the relaxed bach atmosphere.

The end result is a light and airy informal bach that fits into the context of the beach front setting providing its owners with a casual yet comfortable base for family holidays.

In early 2011 Redbox Architects won a competition for the development of the Network Tasman site that runs between 281 Queen Street and 66 Oxford Street, Richmond. Several of the existing buildings on the site were deemed to be below the new building standard for earthquake testing. An initial master plan was prepared which included strengthening and refurbishment of some buildings and demolition of the existing two-storey building to Queen Street.

The final stage of the redevelopment was to replace it with a new 950 square meter building that incorporates a unique LVL structural timber frame and K braces, and an XLam cross laminated timber flooring system. This was selected to showcase locally manufactured timber building products that was fast to erect and created a flexible, positive internal environment.

The fitout provides new offices and treatment rooms for various community health providers, including Nelson Marlborough Health. The Community Health Hub is designed to link internally with the other adjacent buildings on the site, and integrate smoothly into the existing urban context of the Richmond CBD.

Internally, the timber structure has been exposed to give a unique work environment with a warm natural feel. A healthy work environment is maintained by maximising cross-ventilation and natural lighting to all work stations, while patient privacy is created with enhanced acoustic treatments.

The staff enjoy working there so much that they have nick-named it ‘The Hilton.’