Trends New Zealand Trends Volume 32 No 1 New Zealand | Page 18

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The interiors, kitchen included, are a
symphony in white, complemented
by the blue of the adjacent ocean.
Plan, main floor: 1 living, 2 dining, 3
kitchen, 4 laundry, 5 toilet, 6 pantry, 7
hall, 8 ensuite, 9 bedroom, 10 terrace
Facing page: A sail shade shelters
the outdoor dining area while facade
overhangs limit solar gain on the
interiors during the summer.

The interiors are as generous and simple as
the eye-catching exterior. On the main floor, the
open-plan living spaces are white with the blue
of the sea almost a component of the decor. The
marble-look large format tiles are also in keeping with the European sensibility required.
Coastal conditions are notoriously variable
but the sustainable-energy house is well set up
for warmth and cold. The main level is built on
a concrete slab, which absorbs the sun’s rays
during the day through the generous glazing
and releases the heat back into the interior come
evening. Deep overhangs and sun shades both

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help mitigate heat gain during the summer.
“In addition, the design is slightly unusual
for New Zealand in that it has external rather
than internal insulation,” says Meijer. “With this
building method, the concrete walls are exposed
directly to the interior, with no cavity space to
hide pipes and wires. This meant that service
channels had to be configured into the concrete
tilt slabs before the house even went up.”
With its clean-lined composition of simple,
strong materials, sprawling terrace and articulated forms, this house opens up to the coastal
panorama on all levels and from all rooms.