North Shore home

Auckland

The colour scheme was designed to positively respond to the neighbourhood’s heritage character with a ‘sophisticatedly’ simple palette.

Sensitive to the rich legacy of widely appreciated heritage elements, both natural and built the development of this property was thoughtfully planned to ensure the preservation and enjoyment of the natural environment as well as positively reflect intrinsic values and local characteristics of the built environment of Birkenhead Point.

Confined to the northeast corner of a 1556m² site to conserve notable indigenous vegetation bordering an urban stream, the surprising feature of this development is that it provides executive living for three households in the rental market. Nestled in native bush full of bird song, mature kauris and with sea views, this build viewed from different vantage points reads as a single dwelling which is consistent with the neighbourhood’s low density suburban residential character. This is largely due to a well-conceived cohesive colour scheme that in its restraint respectfully pays more than a passing nod to the heritage features and colour schemes of nearby Chelsea Sugar workers’ cottages.

The colour scheme was designed to positively respond to the neighbourhood’s heritage character with a ‘sophisticatedly’ simple palette. In a build that has bent to the natural environment it was important that it was rendered in a palette that caused it ‘to become less natural’ and in doing so has presence despite its compact size.

Resene Rakaia was selected for the solid wood weatherboard cladding. With a light reflectance value of 56% and added protection of the Resene Sonyx 101 CoolColour waterborne semi-gloss coating system it was a practical decision that offered an Environmental Choice approved product delivering on durability and longevity. The same weatherboard cladding and paint finish was used for fences and parking barriers to present a cohesive entity.

Resene Quarter Merino in Resene Sonyx 101 CoolColour waterborne semi-gloss coating provides a fresh, yet soft visual contrast for soffits, fascia, bargeboards and window surrounds.

Resene Rakaia and Resene Quarter Merino work well with the COLORSTEEL® Maxx Sandstone Grey corrugated iron roof and feature cladding. This colour was utilised for all aluminium joinery for windows and ranch sliders, fence capping, deck railing, gutters and downpipes, and even in the selection of exterior lights. Velux skylights, only available in Ironsand, were etched and painted in Resene Hi-Glo CoolColour acrylic roof colour matched to COLORSTEEL® Maxx Sandstone Grey.

The two other major elements contributing to the exterior colour scheme are the front doors in Resene Ironsand which were an exception to the colour scheme in order to define the entrances and suggest strength and substance representing security; and the extensive mahogany decking.

The exterior paint colours were picked with particular care as these were also the colours for the interior design scheme.

The topography of the site with steep gullies sloping to a stream brought many challenges in both the design and build with substantial costs in the foundations.

Architectural specifier: Icon Architectural Concepts, MF Design Architecture
Building contractor: Senior Construction
Colour selection: Shardonnay Bliss
Painting contractor: DR Painters
Photographer: Andy Chui
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2016