Reckless Seizure of Spring.

"...somewhere
deep in the woods,
in the reckless seizure of spring."

A line from a poem by Mary Oliver reminds us of the connection between the building and the land. Also, this:

"Practice safe design: Use a concept."
- Petrula Vrontikis

The Castle

Two buildings left to go to ruin, the smaller original stables and the larger imposing house on a site that had become a landfill. The house was “bookended” with two new reinforced concrete structures to better resist earthquake forces. One structure is a terrace with a water tank under and the other a kitchen dining and living space. A new studio and workshop building was sited to assist in forming a large permaculture garden for fruit, flowers, vegetables and to encourage bird and insect life.
View BEFORE & AFTER below or the entire PROJECT here.

The Beach Apartment Renovation

The middle one of three semi-detached apartments on Cheltenham Beach. Altered in the seventies and then completely rethought to make more of its location and to simplify its plan.
More sun brought into the heart of the plan with a greater appreciation of its exceptional views from its three levels. View BEFORE & AFTER examples below:

The Park Apartment Renovation

Overlooking a city park this 1980’s apartment was opened up and replanned to create three bedrooms and an open living and dining area with a much greater sense of space and a new engagement with its park vista.

The new interior allowed the owners to display their books, art and craft throughout the apartment to be enjoyed from every room.

BEFORE and AFTER:

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see*

*Henry David Thoreau.

This house is on the Southern outskirts of ever-expanding Auckland. It looks out over farm land and lifestyle blocks, but we don't know exactly what the occupants 'see'. 

Photo credit: Andrew Coffey

Office Space

Awaroa Masterclass Stutchbury & Leplastrier

Peter Stutchbury & Richard Leplastrier ran the Awaroa Masterclass this past week (2014). Amongst vast landscapes majorly empty of human affects we talked about how to approach the land from an occupation standpoint - who lived here before? What could our relationship to the space be if we were free of only considering our needs? What shadows are already cast...all the things that might predict the treatment of a potential dwelling.

One building in the area has nails hammered into the wall - the occupants son is an artist and so when they re-roofed the house he took the giant rusted nails and drove them, shallow so as to cast shadows, into the side of the house. The shape he formed is insect in nature.

Richard Leplastrier | Peter Stutchbury | Geoff Richards

Three Houses, One Plot (of residential land)

There are three houses on this one site.

They’re stand alone houses in a residential area with medium density development.

All three houses relate to each other in terms of form and material.

They express themselves by way of their interesting 3 dimensional facades.

Each house is made with cedar and bagged brick.

The landscaping is integral to the function of these properties; the land is developed so that there is no need for fences or walls between the three buildings.

From the outside in

This site is large; filled with regenerating native bush and archeologically important portions, it is inherently filled with rather interesting restrictions.

Vantage>> Overlooking the Hauraki Gulf

The restrictions we mentioned result in a long limb of the house stretching from the East to the West and a portion that runs towards the North.

Strong shapes on the Southern aspect >> Wide overhanging roofs provide shelter on the Northern.

The house opens up to view the canopy of regenerating native bush and to catch the morning sun.

Inside is filled with light: open to the Gulf, it makes the most of that extraordinary view and the view of the greenery.