Why adopt imported design influences when a site clearly offers so many clues to a more meaningful solution? This was the question asked by Chow:Hill architect Richard Hill when he came to assembling his ideas for this 340m 2, three-bedroom rural home.

The house lies on a lifestyle block on the outskirts of Hamilton, enjoying amazing views across a natural gulley to the north and east. This aspect, and the potential for capturing passive energy, along with the need to shelter the living spaces from strong prevailing westerly winds, dictated much of the design.

The home has been integrated into the surrounding environment by way of a number of transition spaces for outdoor living. There is an entry court, a courtyard around the pool, a walled herb garden and screened vegetable garden, and an enclosed service area. Beyond these, landscaping to the gulley edge will feature large trees, providing the final connection between the house and the site.

The home is built from coloured concrete block and stained cedar; low-maintenance materials that will weather gracefully. Inside, a two-storey atrium – glazed floor to ceiling to capture the sun - doubles as a gallery displaying the owner's art. Bedrooms and a studio lie to one side of this central core, with the living spaces on the other. The entire north wall of the home opens through bifold glazed doors to the pool, which acts as a reflective water feature during the day and is lit for effect at night.

For more information on this Chow:Hill project,
Email: richard@chowhill.co.nz