WAITAHEKE WETLAND

The brief for this project included the design and construction of substantial landscape features including a man-made lake and the reinstatement of the wetland/swamp environment as well as the design and construction of a new home.

Located on 2.1 Hectares of land in Te Horo, on the Kapiti Coast, this site was part of a rural subdivision where recently constructed homes were typically located on top of prominent dune contours and of brick and tile construction, visually dominating the landscape.This home was designed in unison with the landscape to sit gently on the waters’ edge.  

Decks cascade down from the ground floor living spaces and out across the water to form a small jetty.   The intention was that as the house ages and the vegetation matures the two would blend together and harmonize with each other. The materials for the exterior of the home were designed to weather and mature with the landscape, to work together to blend with the natural wetland palette.

Although the designated building site was like the adjoining sites on top of the highest dune on the site, we positioned the home so that it cuts into the dune and aligns with the existing contours to reduce its profile.  This also enabled us to gain a connection with the wetland both visually and physically.  

We chose a simple linear building form and materials for their compatibility with the natural setting –primarily cladding the home in cedar weatherboards with corrugated steel to the garage and shed.  The home has excellent orientation for solar gain to passive storage areas and shading to prevent overheating during summer months.  Systems such as natural cross ventilation, rainwater harvesting, grey-water recycling, solar water heating and a reed bed as the final stage in effluent treatment have been incorporated.

The brief for the internal spaces was quite different to the natural aesthetic of the exterior.  Our clients wanted a clean, crisp, light, white and airy interior. An interior that did not compete with, or detract from the views to the landscape beyond but worked to intensify and complement them.

The concept for the interior was to mimic a gallery space, with the views serving as the artworks. The potential for a stark, monotonous interior space was counteracted with the use of different textures, and shades of white, along with natural stone and timber elements. The warm golden tones of Tasmanian Oak and blonded pine plywood as well as textured stony grey floor tiles have been used throughout the house to punctuate the otherwise predominantly white palette.  

The result is a modest, light and simple interior.