NZIA 2020 Finalist Waikato Small Project Architecture Award

Dezeen 2020 Longlist Rural Project Architecture

Hugged by the Karangahake forests and the Kaimai Ranges, through the last bridge towards Waihi from Paeroa, this farmland home reminds us of the essence of living simply, the importance of our environment and quiet family moments. It signifies a humble architecture bravely holding its own on the hilltop, a return to our collective necessities of shelter, gathering and freedom.

Warm cross-laminated-timber floors, along with fully lined ply walls and ceiling, create a cosy enclosed atmosphere reminiscent of classic tramping huts. We wanted to create an intimate and easy family home, complete with mezzanine loft space for impromptu friends and family. The ‘outdoor room’ provides a protected interstitial space connecting the Eastern and Western environments, with soft filtered light above, the large barn slider closes you off to a sense of solitude towards the forest below.

Rebelling against wasteful and arduous construction processes, the cost-saving and efficient prefabricated floors, walls and roofs were assembled on-site within only 4 days. The crucial idea of sustainability was further achieved through the carefully selected materials and finishes, weathertight linings, and smart efficient ventilation systems. These ideas continue our increasing awareness towards an architecture that leaves the landscape untouched.

Photography by David Straight

Mangawhai Heads, Northland

There’s a quiet to being ‘up north, at the bach,’ where time seems to move slowly, moments are more intimate, and we are more mindful and present in a rush of relaxation. A home away from home concept where architecture acts unfettered, a shelter to gather, providing us with simple luxuries, a conscious escape from city-life reality into nature.

This family bach hovers slightly on the land, facing north towards the tail end of the Brynderwyn Hills, Hen and Chicken Islands, ‘Big Sand Dune’ at Mangawhai and Little Barrier Island. The surrounding land is cloaked with local Kanuka trees, a dark bark of the Mangawhai Peninsula, mimicked by the exterior dark stained ply cladding and cedar battens rhythmically sequenced on the external skin of the rectangular forms – as if the house is the architectural imagination of the surrounding forest’s collective heartbeat.

Inside, spaces are ambiguous and free-flowing, boundaries no longer exist. We are warmly embraced by familiar ply walls and ceilings, soft concrete and timber finishes. The enclosure is continuously breathing out through large openings of sliding doors and clear roofing. In the outdoor room, the landscape melts inside through the garage-door-sized sectional panels folding up and above you. This open inbetween space reflects the family’s relaxed and carefree way of living, where they spend their days and nights with communal gathering area for big family meals or spontaneous accommodations for unexpected guests.

Our aim was to create spaces where the environment is continuously welcomed into the home, tunnel-vision through the house into the landscapes beyond. Crest house became our interpretation of the essence of the classic kiwi bach, of how spaces can flow with an ease that spark togetherness and slow moments of lazy long weekends.

Photography by David Straight

Under Construction

This new family home perches lightly at the top of a large hill looking out to Nelson harbour with spectacular mountain and sea views. Designed with family in mind, we took advantage of the site’s height and projected a large deck alongside the house.

This 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home is filled with warm woods, open living areas and an emphasis on outdoor living. The open plan kitchen, dining and living areas open out to a custom designed pergola that filters in dappled light through cedar battens above. Spanning nearly 8m, sliding doors create a smooth transition between inside and outside, intended for frequent entertaining. Sliding bay windows and built in seating were designed for seamless conversations to outdoor bench seat decking.

The overall form was designed to emphasise the dramtic landscape, with mono-pitch roofs and black facades enveloping warm cedar clad interior deck spaces. Large areas of the interior are lined with cozy white-washed plywood that contrasts with large floor to ceiling sliding doors and extensive glazing.

Inspired by ideas of relaxed family moments of gathering and outdoor living, we are very excited for the next steps for Voon House.

Karaka, Auckland
The client approached MAKE for a modern design that embraced the setting at Karaka Lakes. The forms are comprised of simple rectangular boxes that filter views and light to suit the functionality of the house. The lower level embraces the site with 3 break-out areas, maximizing the outdoor area and creating sun-traps for various times of the day. The bedrooms and private areas of the house are upstairs with decks. The screen wraps around three sides of the upper floor and is mimicked a board and batten cladding on one side. The circulation is linear through the middle of the house. The entry opens to a double height space with a simple one way stair to the upper level to one side, and then leads to the main outdoor area at the rear of the house. The design palette is a simple combination of pattern and grayscale shades.

Onehunga, Auckland
An early 1900s cottage was respectfully modernised in this renovation, a new life breathed into the home’s interior and in its interaction with the exterior environment.  

An important element of the renovation was found in a reconsideration of the flow and layout of key living areas within the home. Here the kitchen was relocated during the establishment of a new, sociable connection between kitchen, dining and entertaining zones. This space bleeds out to a new covered deck, where fine underslatting to the canopy offers a filtered light quality reminiscent of the NZ bush.

New Lynn, Auckland

Under the framework of the PAUP (Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan), MAKE have designed a new three house medium intensity development in the suburb of New Lynn. These three four-bedroom homes are sited on 240m2 lots. The designs respond to the site with private northern courtyards and positive indoor/outdoor connections.

Careful window placement maximises light and warmth yet maintains essential privacy between the adjacent houses. The vernacular forms sit comfortably in the context of the neighbourhood with vertical cedar and bagged brick facades - the brick, a homage to the brick making heritage of New Lynn that began in the 1860s.

Woodhill, Auckland

A house located adjacent to Lake Kereta on the Southern Head of the Kaipara. The house itself captures stunning views of both the Lakes, as well as encompassing unique year round all weather living spaces.

Set in an environmentally sensitive area, the house is responsive to its unique lake side setting. Approached along a decked boardwalk , visiting guests have time to experience the power of the setting before entering. Two lighter coloured pavilions lift away from the land, with the darker interlinking boxes securing it back into the dune.

The private Bedroom wing is separated from the more public Living wing with a all-weather climate modifier space, and maximum access of northerly sun.

St Heliers, Auckland
The brief required that the site be subdivided and two similar 300m2 houses be integrated into the triangular site, which features a striking outlook towards the harbour and Rangitoto Island.

Each home is made up of two forms: a bedroom wing, expressed in a dark stained cedar, and a living wing, contrastingly clad in a blonded cedar. The dialogue between these two forms was a theme constantly explored throughout the design process. The darker vertical form acts as the private, less accessible wing, characterised by framed views and vertical slats. The lighter horizontal form on the other hand, is open and accessible, encouraging entertaining and family engagement. The two wings are lightly connected by a double-height recessed entry, which enhances the distinction between the two forms.

Ligar Bay, Takaka

The Ligar Bay House consists of two pavilions - a guest wing for visiting friends and family, and a private self-contained wing. The access and axis point sits between these two wings - a held, sheltered space with an all-year-round entertaining interior courtyard, for family and friends to gather around the fireplace. 

An extruded canopy of slatted timber enhances the approach to this space - a nod to the filtered light found within our native bush.

Stacking glazed doors connect to a large decked area, stretching along the full length of the house. All quarters are connected to this space, which offers a striking view between the hills out to Ligar Bay. Circulation runs along the southern extremity of the home. From here, the rectangular boxed form of the house is broken by a series of vignette windows, framing the landscape beyond.

The building itself is to be weighted into the landscape, a bold horizontal expanse further enhanced by walls clad in a deep coal vertical shiplap, a strength and boldness softened by honeyed brass joinery and the warmth of the pine walls visible from within.

Titirangi, Auckland

Set on a ridge in the Waitakere Ranges on South Titirangi road with views to the east and west of the Manukau Harbour. We were approached to design a four bedroom house on a site that had no driveway access over what is classified a “sensitive” ridge in the Planning maps. We undertook the Resource Consent and designed a home that would maximise the features of the site.

There was already an existing area that had been excavated for a rebound tennis court. We used this for a lower level garage with the master bedroom at the opposite end towards the key aspect towards the harbour. Above this we floated the main form which included two living areas, dining and kitchen with access to surrounding decks towards the north and views to the Manukau.

One Tree Hill, Auckland
The Rawhiti house is a character house set in One Tree Hill.  The client had an expanding young family and required a renovation that increased the size of the living space and added a new bedroom and ensuite.  One of the constraints was a recent new kitchen that had been installed.  MAKE worked with the constraint and designed the addition to enhance the character of the house.  One way of strengthening the character was by creating a longer entrance corridor that eliminated the dog-leg circulation.  We wanted to create an addition that looked like the end result was part of the original design, this was the philosophy that informed the design decisions.

Titirangi, Auckland

Situated on a narrow site in the western Waitakere Ranges of Auckland, the house lifts out of the contours of a sloping site to take advantage of maximum sun and views across the Manukau Harbour. Simplicity of an economical form was a key to the build programme, as well as maximising the all-weather climate modifier space for play and entertaining in the bush surrounds. A Covered Deck space provides an elevated landscape for the children to play and ride bikes in this bush environment, anevening “Outdoor “ entertaining space for guests.Situated on a narrow site in the western Waitakere Ranges of Auckland, the house lifts out of the contours of a sloping site to take advantage of maximum sun and views across the Manukau Harbour. Simplicity of an economical form was a key to the build programme, as well as maximising the all-weather climate modifier space for play and entertaining in the bush surrounds.

Onehunga, Auckland

The clients of a small character bungalow in Onehunga were wanting to extend their home for their growing young family.  At the first meeting it was evident that they valued creativity and design.  The interiors had natural tones and were accented with colour and sculpture.  The house had great character features but only had two bedrooms.  

We approached the extension respecting the beauty of the character while adding the desired spaces for modern family living.  The addition included a new bedroom, a larger bathroom and a open plan living space with kitchen and dining that opened up to the large grassed outdoor area.  Our intention was that the house would feel as though it had been designed this way originally but have the modern functionality of the open plan living with the indoor-outdoor flow.  The symmetry and large opening to a wide, low level deck at the same level integrates the house with the large lawn.  It means that the client can enjoy the beauty of the character home and also benefit from better outdoor living. The build of this project was undertaken by SIKA Homes, and won a Gold Award for Master Builders.

Takapuna, Auckland

A new development in Takapuna maximises the potential under the Unitary Plan in removing a single house and designing 4 new Courtyard Houses in place. The house’s living spaces focus towards internal landscaped courtyards surrounded by perforated masonry walls, with glimpses to the “borrowed” landscape beyond yet still maintaining quality privacy between them. Vertical dark timber clad facades add textural richness between spaces, and provide avenues for sunlight to provide warmth.

CBD, Christchurch

This small housing development scheme located in Christchurch was a project that held a new kind of challenge within the brief: designing three four bedroom homes which could fit on a site a mere 50.6 x 10.06 metres, whilst at the same time providing on-site parking and adequate living space. Despite this challenge, MAKE strove to create well-designed, liveable homes which strategically made the most of the limited space available. It was vital that these three homes were each individually pleasant environments for the inhabitants, as well as architecturally holding a strong presence upon the streetscape.

Westmere, Auckland
Originally the Fife house was a brick veneered bungalow set in a cul de sac in Westmere. The client wanted to modernise the house and its exterior form. The spaces were small and there were no break-out spaces for outdoor use. MAKE approached the design by identifying the key aspects of the site. This included all-day sun at the front of the house and aspects of character. The solution was to push out the front to create a large deck off the front living space. This allowed for an internal garage at the lower level. The new verandah cover wrapped around the front and entry side of the house, creating a new dominant form with a strong horizontal proportion. Internal walls were removed and a large timber stacker door increased the usable living space.