Understated eco elegance for Auckland renovation

This is the Glade House, which is a redesign of a 1950’s home in Auckland designed by Strachan Group Architects. The owners wanted to maintain the basic design aesthetic, re-work the layout and enhance the connection with the bush surrounds. What I really like about this house is the understated eco-elegance and the great balance achieved in the contrast between the hoop pine fixtures and darker timber elements. In the architects words: “Fundamental to the redesign was the notion of providing “graduated connections” to the surrounding glade. Spaces are divided by a “blade” element that alters the entrance’s appearance by extending the original chimneybreast and pulls together the two floors as well as creating a stairwell that accommodates two fireplaces – one exterior, one interior.The new entry has been lowered and the structure floated over a pool of water to give a sense of lightness that reflects light into the inner recesses of the lower level through an aperture that once was the study window.The new garage extrudes from the existing gable form and is wrapped in a mixture of clear acrylic sheet/overslatting and stained shadowclad ply.” [photography by Patrick Reynolds]