20 Highview
With a site on a 30 degree angle, and one of the best views imaginable looking north along the coast of the Pacific Ocean and returning along the Southern Alps over Christchurch city, this design was always going to be dramatic.
Such a view demands extensive glazing, and such a steep site inhibits maintenance. To realize the expectations of both factors, the house was constructed from insitu concrete, with timber shuttered aesthetic, and floor to ceiling glass. These materials will require very little maintenance aside from periodic cleaning, and work well in the rugged natural environment.
The potentially harsh aesthetic and acoustics are balanced by extensive use of timber internally, on the ceilings, walls, and floors.
The home steps down the site over three floors, accessed via a central stair spine, and a lift. It is constructed using methodology more readily utilized in commercial buildings, but which are ideal for this particular home.
Construction by Hoogervorst Builders.