Trends New Zealand Volume 35 No 3 | Page 78

Above: As well as providing access to the different views from the site, the Y-shaped plan also created three different outdoor spaces – the entry courtyard to the right, the pool and outdoor living areas to the left, and a more private, garden courtyard behind. Facing page: Visitors encounter the dynamic glass and steel staircase when they first enter the home. This sits at the centre of the Y plan, giving a clear sense of how the house is organised. search | save | share at plan across three ‘blades’ that radiate from a central node.” The result is a three-storey structure in the shape of a Y or three-winged propeller, with a dynamic glass and steel staircase extending through the core. “The staircase provides a very straightforward guide to the vast home’s circulation, while at the same time it visually joins what would otherwise be disparate areas in one’s line of sight.” Two of the storeys sit above ground, while the basement floor burrows into the hill below. On the ground floor are the entry and communal spaces – living, dining, kitchen, pool and outdoor areas – while the top floor is dedicated to the home’s private spaces. Dividing the house into its three wings also effectively reduces the scale of the building, and allows nearly all rooms to access the range of views. “The upper southwest and southeast wings hold the master and a ‘mini master’ for guests, both of which have 270° views of the city and ocean due to their slim profile.