Adsett house

The lawn, for example, is a 12 metre x 12 metre ‘canvas’ placed centrally on the site and clearly framed in corten steel. At one level, it is the central figure, and the house merely forms part of the frame. However, at another level, the lawn is a classical plinth for the house as a sculptural object. The lawn fluctuates from being the work of art itself, to the frame: from art to landscape.

As another example, the striped canvas along the front of the house is a direct reference to French artist Daniel Buren exhibited for the street to see: for a moment, it is the central figure again framed by the structural columns and the house behind it. However, these canvas stripes are simply a balustrade and built-in deck chair from which to view paintings hanging in the studio/gallery inside: they fluctuate from being the artwork itself to a seat from which to look at artwork; from art to architecture.

Colour forms a critical role in this play between figure and ground; foreground and background; art and architecture. Dark battens recede into the light wall, the light stripe between structural columns merges with the wall behind, and shadows of the structural columns to the front of the house are confused with dark lines on the same wall. Colour is not applied to this house, it is integral.

Colours used: Resene Alabaster, Resene All Black, Resene Alto, Resene Amour, Resene Quarter Napa.

Products used: Resene Lumbersider, Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Architectural Specifier: Kebbell Daish
Building Contractor: Wainwright Construction
Client and Collaborator: Peter Adsett
Colour Selection: Kebbell Daish
Painting Contractor: Wainwright Construction
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2010

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