11: DESIGN OCEAN SHORES
CHIPBOARD HOUSE
LOCATION OCEAN SHORES, NSW
This charming wedge-shaped chipboard
cottage in northern NSW is eco-friendly with a
very tiny footprint. Peter Maddison described
it as “alarmingly small” but is quick to sing its
praises. “From humble beginnings comes a rich
space — an elongated corridor that stretches
the entire length of the building with a backbone
that’s drenched with light,” he says. A massive
skylight invites in natural light, and the concrete
sheeting on the exterior provides insulation.
Living green is all about having what you need
and no more — and this home does exactly that.
Architectural Design A-CH (a- ch.com.au)
Builder SJ Reynolds Constructions
(sjrconstruct.com)
Photography Nick Wilson
12: DESIGN STILT HOUSE
LOCATION PUKERUA BAY, NORTH ISLAND
Building this holiday cottage nestled by the
bay was a family aff air, with a few mates
lending a hand for good measure. Building
it was a challenge due to its location in an
area renowned for surging tides. According
to architect and co-owner Guy Marriage, that
was just the start of the challenges. “It’s in
a tsunami zone, it’s a little bit unstable, and
it’s susceptible to the odd shake or two,” he
says. To overcome some of the issues, the
house is built on a platform supported by
piles 5 metres above sea level. The home
was designed to fi t within the landscape and
to blend with its surroundings. Many of the
fi nishing touches were gathered from local
recyclers, including Scaife Timber. Briony Ellis,
a cousin who helped with the build, said, “I
love the fact that every piece has a story and
has had a life before this, and that we’re now
giving them a new life with a new story.”
Architectural Design Guy Marriage,
First Light Studio (fi rstlightstudio.co.nz)
Builder Johnny Clark
([email protected])13: DESIGN MOUNT ALBERT HOUSE
LOCATION MOUNT ALBERT, AUCKLAND
This modern three-bedroom family home was
built with a series of three boxes, the living space
box constructed from board-formed, in-situ
concrete. The material has thermal properties,
helping to create a cosy environment indoors. The
home also has a single power plant for heating
and hot water, and a bank of photovoltaics on
the roof takes care of electricity. The homeowner
says they don’t pay a cent for electricity in
summer. “We even get a small credit back from
the power company, thanks to the inverter
pushing power back to the grid.”
Architectural Design Jan Bernau
Photography Jamie Cobel11
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PROJECTS(^) // GREEN LIVING