Sumit Singhal Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination.
Dulieu Residence – PARATIHO in Upper Hutt, New Zealand by Studio MWA
October 3rd, 2012 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Studio MWA – Studio Mikulcic Worldwide Architecture
The House has 3 double bedrooms with a studio. The Main Master bedroom has an ensuite and walk-in wardrobe. House includes 3 individual living areas, and a triple garage. The two bathrooms and a separate visitor toilet like the ensuite, have possible disabled access. The layout allows for separation between the formal living and dining area and separate family living and kitchen area. The third lounge is close to the visitor’s bedrooms, giving opportunity for easy living, for the extended family. All rooms have direct access outside in same level with possibility to use the glorious outdoor space from anywhere. Around house are extensive decking, garden with surrounding native bush and few small lakes – pond areas.
Reinforced concrete slab with polished concrete floor finish through entire residence
under floor hot water heating
Solar Panels For Hot Water
Innovative Sewer Treatment Under Esd Principles
20 000 Liters Underground Water Tanks
Kitchen, Bathroom, Laundry, Toilet Cabinetry All In Marine Plywood Finish
Roofing And Metal Wall Cladding Is Dimondek 400 – 0.55 Mm Profile By Dimond – New Zealand
Timber Exterior Wall Cladding Is Rough Sawn Cedar Weatherboard With Dark Brown Oil Stain
Interior Walls And Ceilings Generally Completed In Plasterboard With High Quality Spray Paint Finish
Exterior aluminium joinery with double glazing (exterior glass panels laminated grey tinted glass with 12 mm air gap and low e gas and interior 6 mm clear glass).
Exterior Decking Is Hardwood Kwila Boards 18×90 Mm
Eaves Are Villaboard Panels By James Hardie, Plastered And Painted-Stone Masonry – Schist Walls Generally 90 – 150 mm Thick Natural Stone From Otago – New Zealand
Image Courtesy Studio MWA ltd
Sites like this are a dream. Quite often you have the feeling you are living away from the rest of the world being hugged by nature. The fantastic view, total privacy, site approach is from about 75 m above the site, its proximity to the River, are just some of details that make the site special. Being located just on the edge of the 100 year flood zone; it’s a natural amphitheatre with bush surrounding hills in close proximity. From the start a decision was made to slightly elevate the site further. I suppose the final design, building setting, choice of materials, textures and colours say more than I can express with words. The images do the talking for themselves.
Image Courtesy Studio MWA ltd
Together with the client a brief was developed, but from the start it was obvious that a simple single story design using natural materials, quality orientation to capture sun to take advantage of passive solar energy heating, rainwater and spring water collection, environmentally responsible sewer treatment, with a sustainable approach was ideal. A Black butterfly was definitely one of the initial ideas and even in execution looks like a beautiful creature. And the final house is easy to live in, with indoor-outdoor flow, low maintenance, but the openness and simplicity are the main characteristics of this design. To create a residential project which has nearly 70% of exterior walls in glass is always very challenging in order to follow the standards and requirements, but we achieved all that and even more.
Image Courtesy Studio MWA ltd
When the client’s start to call a newly completed Project HOME, you know that you achieved something special.
In this case, after moving to their new house Dianne and Barry give to entire property and house “new name “ – PARATIHO, which in Maori language means paradise. I suppose it says everything.
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