Home New Zealand – August 01, 2019

Project

Christchurch

townhouse

Architect

MitchellColl,

CollArchitecture

Location

CentralChristchurch

Brief

Designtwocompact

dwellingsona

300-square-metre

site,onetolive

inandonetorent

Compact and cabin-like, this

contemporary inner-city fortress

offers exceptional privacy and

functionality in what’s essentially

a duplex.

1 — Rusted steel cladding and tiny upper
windows lend Coll’s home an impenetrable
edge. 2 — The compact-laminate kitchen
island adds colour amid timber lining.

D-6

United

front

PHOTOGRAPH
STEPHEN GOODENOUGH

1. Entry


2. Deck


3. Living


4. Kitchen


5. Bedroom


6. WC


7. Bathroom

Howareyouenjoyinglivinginthehouse?

Weloveit. Thetenantsinthebackunitalso

lovetheplace,whichis greatforus– to

haveneighbourswhovalueandlookafter

it. Theprojectwasoriginallyconceivedto

promoteourideasonwhatmedium-density

developmentscouldbe,butafterseeinghow

niceit wouldbetolivein,wedecidedtokeep

it forourselves.Wenowcan’tpictureliving

anywhereelse.

What’schanged?Nothing.Therearea

fewcostsavingswethinkwewouldmake

if wewerebuildingthesamethingagain,

butotherwisewearehappywithit.

Anyplansorprojectsforthefuture?

Yes,foruspersonallywearelookingto

dosomethingagain,buttherightland

is difficulttofind.Asa practicewehave

projectson,withideasthathavebeen

informedbywhatwedidonthisproject.

Wearealwayscontinuingtoexpandon

designingspecificallyforthepeopleusing

thebuilding,ratherthangeneralising.

Whydoyouthinkit works?Firstand

foremostit’shealthytolivein – warmand

wellventilatedwitha goodconnectionto

nature.Also,havingeverythingproperly

designedallowedustohavea high-quality

buildingwithlessoverallsizeandtherefore

lessoverallcost.Thisallowsustomaintain

a goodlifestylewithinourmeans.It also

affordsusthetimetoenjoylivingina city

withplentytodo,whilebeingabletocome

hometoa spacewestillenjoybeingin.

1

2

Q&A

MITCHELL COLL

Ground floor

First floor

13 3

2

44

1

2

5555

6677