Description:

One One Two is a new private dwelling located on a prominent corner site in Central Christchurch, bordered by key city assets including the Ōtākaro - Avon River and Hagley Park. The area boasts a number of ‘architecturally significant’ domestic buildings in very close proximity to the site, including Miles Warren’s Dorset Street Flats (circa 1956) and Helmore and Coderill’s Whitcombe House (circa 1936), both protected under Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga ‘historic places list’. This project aspired to respect and contribute to this rich architectural heritage.

The client brief prompted a critical design question; “how can we activate the park views while managing privacy on the exposed public corner”?

The existing site topography is naturally elevated approximately 700mm above the surrounding street and footpath level, which assists to manage the interaction between the private and public faces (view vs privacy) at ground level via appropriately scaled fencing and landscaping along the street boundaries. Open-aired brick and timber screens have been deployed to further diffuse the interface between exterior and interior. The interplay of dappled light throughout the day creates an element of intrigue while managing privacy.

In the wider street context, the site falls between two distinct areas. To the north, a historic setback pushes dwellings approximately 7.5m from the street boundary. To the south, contemporary townhouse and apartment developments sit only 2.0m from the street boundary. The design of One One Two looks to address this combination of ‘visual’ setbacks, referencing and unifying the ‘character’ setback to the north and ‘contemporary’ setback to the south via an ‘L’ shaped floor plan. An open plan kitchen and dining wing at ground floor level, and guest bedroom suite at first floor level sit back within the site, referencing the character setback to the north while providing a generous outdoor courtyard to the west, sheltered from the prevailing easterly wind. A cantilevered primary bedroom suite at first floor level extends toward the ‘contemporary’ setback to the south, unlocking expansive views to the Ōtākaro - Avon River and Hagley Park.

Programmatically, the efficient design pivots around a double height entry atrium, which provides the circulation point between activities both horizontally (in plan) and vertically (in cross section). A blackened steel and Oak stair wraps around a vertical lift shaft faced in venetian plaster and is mirrored by a large skylight overhead. Internal spaces radiate from this centre point; garage to the east, kitchen, dining and sitting room to the north and formal lounge to the west at ground level, and guest accommodation to the north and primary bedroom to the west at first floor level. This transition point separates everyday occupation and guest accommodation, public and private zones of the house. A linear ground floor plan provides access to outdoor living areas either side, enabling occupants to follow the sun or shelter from winds. The western terrace sinks in to the site to create an element of containment and provide further privacy from the road and park beyond.