ThesepagesThe
constructionofthe
L-shapedskylights
createcraftedinterest
andcasta constantplay
oflightacrosssurfaces
inthelivingarea.The
slidingdoorshidea
televisionandfamily
ephemera.
recessedintothemainform.Fromhereyouenterthe
mainroomofthehouseona diagonalaxis:fromhere,
thetwooppositewallsofthehouseareentirelyglazed
andyourviewisledouttothepond.
Thepyramidroofdeliverssurprisingvolumeto
thelivingspace.It’sanadaptablearea,withsliding
glassdoorsthatopenupthiscornerofthehometo
decking,whichnearlydoublesthelivingarea.“When
it’sopenedup,it feelslikea protectedoutdoorarea
ratherthanjusta normalroom,”saysGittos.Theglass
walls– a moveablefeast– allowforsomecontrolover
thepersistentHorowhenuawinds.
Fromtheapexofthepyramidroof,anL-shapeof
skylightsdropsnorthernandeasternlightintothe
mainlivingvolume,andunderlinethisspace’sfeeling
ofbeinga sortofbigverandah.“Itwastherightway
toframeit,”saysRobertson.“Whenlightcomesinon
a sharpangle,it’slikeanartworkasyouwatchthesun
moveacrossthewall.”
Bedroomsandbathroomslinetheedgesofthe
home’snorthandeasternboundary,wrappingthe
mainlivingareainanL shape,orelbow,saysGittos,
whichgavethemthehome’snickname.“Welikedthe
ideaof‘ElbowRoom’being‘adequatespacetomove
orworkin’– notmore,orless,thanyouneed;an
aptdescriptionfora smallerhouse,”hesays.
Thisshoulderofprivatespacesisseparatedfrom
thelivingareawitha bufferofstoragecupboards,
wardrobesandcorridors.Cavityslidersatintersections
betweenthetwozonesprovidefurtherdivision.“The
parents’roomfeelsseparatefromthekids’roomand
viceversa,whilebothhavenecessarysoundseparation
fromthecentrallivingspace,”saysGittos.
Thearrangementachieveswhatsmallspacesoften
lack:acousticseparation.Whilelargerhomesareoften
derivedfrombriefsthataskforrooms,wingsorbays
thatdivideactivities,bodiesandconversation,this
117-square-metrehousemanages to achieve all that
within its compact scheme.HOME NEW ZEALAND 141