The site exists simultaneously in two different conditions, the urban centre of Takapuna City, surrounded by a dense combination of apartments, hospitality and retail. On the Eastern side of the site, it sits at the Northern end of the beautiful arc of Takapuna Beach with stunning views down the beach and out to the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. Takapuna Beach is an active urban beach, filled with bathers and walkers and water craft of all kinds. Two mature Pohutakawa trees frame the outlook.

The clients wished for a house where they could entertain and accommodate their many friends, their children and their grandchildren. The have a passion for all manner of automobiles and required a large workshop area to store and work on their beautiful collection of cars. The primary residence required 5 bedrooms, all with wardrobes and en-suites, several living areas and a clear connection to the exterior incorporating a pool. There was also a requirement for a self contained 2 bedroom apartment, a wine cellar, gym and golf simulator. The client had occupied the original cottage on the site for many years, using it as an office premises so they had a very clear knowledge of the site, and what was important to them to bring into the new building. One of those elements was the fantastic western light, something of a challenge as the city was to the west and they also valued privacy very highly.

Knowing this would be a very large, highly visible building, we wanted to create a design that could outlive the original brief, a building that would be equally comfortable being a corporate HQ, or a private museum, as it was as a dwelling. Adaptive re-use strategies were therefore extremely important to the project and informed the materiality as well as the planning. We wanted the city side of the dwelling to look as if it belonged in the urban context. A building that could be any of the above purposes. As such the materiality of a mix of precast and insitu concrete, and large format ceramic panels are not only robust in the maritime context, but also create ambiguity in terms of the functions of the building. The planning concept, informed by the clients desire to maximise the western light, arranges the functions of the main house around 3 Atria and one terrace, one external Atrium three levels deep, and two internal Atria, two levels deep. The terrace, three levels up incorporates sheltered outdoor living as well as the swimming pool and spa. It also allows for views from deep within the building along Takapuna Beach. The home is made for entertaining, for peaceful reflection, a private retreat in one of the most urban environments in Auckland.