The Crossing

The home fuses together a limited material palette of concrete, blue steel and cedar in Wood-X Foundry into a bold and dynamic space, allowing the owner (a professional writer) genuine flexibility to entertain, while acknowledging the need for the relative solitude of a working studio space.

The form of the house is immediately and boldly sculptural; at once reflecting the traditional rural steel farm buildings of the area, and the dramatic local landscape. The sophisticated position of the hilltop home is a reflection of its ability to capture sun and views.

The design consists of two primary axis; a long north-south facing corridor (extended by a 10 metre concrete ‘walkway’ which brings you to the entrance door) and the other, which intersects the house east to west. This is an important intersection which reinforces the name ‘The Crossing’, but also divides the house into ‘dark’ bedroom and ‘light’ living spaces. This was an important design feature brought to life even further by working with a lighting designer from concept stage.

A staircase leads to a studio space, which nests above the kitchen below – and frames a view of Pakiri Beach.

The front of the house is flexible and consists of large sliding doors, which open the space to indoor/outdoor living and a concrete terrace, designed to complement and acknowledge the form of the roofline above.

The client was keen to have a house that had both a ‘daytime’ and ‘night time’ feel and was very keen to use Resene Black in a way which worked with the lighting design. The black contrasts beautifully with the warmth of the cedar panels and concrete floors. By day the black accentuates the form, while at night it helps the walls ‘dissolve’ back into a comforting, open, ambient space. One wall in each bedroom (and the guest bathroom) was kept for Resene Alabaster white; just to provide some breathing space for the artworks and provide a gentle glow during the daytime.

Black is also used in the living room and kitchen, both to complement the black GyroFocus suspended fireplace (a 1967 original) and to unify the interior form and subdued palette of the project.

To complicate matters, the exterior walls are slanted and catch the light at sometimes quite unusual angles. Preparation of the walls before the painting process was critical, as was the recessed plasterboard beside the concrete floor. While scuff marks on black are usually a problem, the Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen paint is durable enough so that a quick wipe with a damp microfibre cloth is all that is required.

Although a simple palette, the result works beautifully and most guests are surprised that black and white can work in such a powerful, yet elegant, way. “It really works!” is the usual response!

Architectural specifier: Studio2 Architects
Building contractor: Steve Haycock Construction Limited
Painting contractor: Raphaella
Photographer: www.simondevitt.com
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2016