| 75 ARCHITECTURE Daniel Marshall Architects T T Karen Phelps Emotional response to the landscape Takapu exterior. Photo by Paul Ross Jones. Growing up in Havelock North, the drive to Ocean Beach always resonated with architect Daniel Marshall. It was this emotional response to the landscape that informed his approach to the Tākapu house project, which won Daniel Marshall Architects (DMA) 2024 Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects award for Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay. It was also a driver for the clients, Aucklanders with plans to retire to Hawkes Bay, who likewise wanted an architecture that responded to the landscape. “It meant a lot to win this award as it’s where I grew up so doing a house in that area was really special,” says Daniel. “I used to draw the landscape a lot as a child so it gave me real insight as our process is always to be very site specific and for the building to be integrated the landscape.” The site is located on the ridge overlooking Ocean Beach in the Haupouri Farm Park, with Morton Bay Figs on the western side of the site and a pine forest in the valley below toward the beach. The considerations of the view and also the dominant South West winds strongly influenced the design. “Because of the natural contour of the hill, the living area cantilevers over the ground, increasing the drama of the experience in the living area while providing a useful space under the living level for a utility room and water tanks,” explains Daniel. “This in turn led to the naming of the project, Tākapu, the gannets who nest at Cape Kidnappers. The metaphor being a gannet with its wings outstretched, catching the lift on the edge of the cliff.” The home offers two bedrooms, a music room that could double as a third bedroom, a study and a single living area. An informal arrival terrace between the public and private areas of the home, allows the ef cient use of this area both for welcoming visitors as well as a sheltered dining area to enjoy the evening light. The other outside deck projects out toward the view and again separates, and connects the public and private zones of the house. “You arrive in the middle of the house, there is no front door. It’s a narrow connecting strip separating the private areas from the public. That worked incredibly well and is a really peaceful space to occupy.” The material palette was closely inspired by the landscape - a pebble picked up on Ocean Beach, a fragment of sandstone and quartz. The board formed precast concrete element was tinted to re ect the colour, with the rest of the material of the exterior being western red cedar with a similar oil nish. The home was constructed by Napier based Kepka Builders owned by Richard Kepka, a second generation builder with around 50 years experience. Daniel says it was a smooth process: “We talked to a few people we knew in the locality and shortlisted builders then the client 027 330 0371 brendon.schaare@totallyerectable.co.nz CALL US www.totallyerectable.co.nz FOR ALL YOUR STRUCTURAL STEEL WORKSHOP DRAWING REQUIREMENTS 34 Wakefield Street, Onekawa, Napier PO Box 39, Napier +64 6 843 5353 www.boulevardservices.co.nz PROUD TO PROVIDE CLEANING SERVICES AND CONCRETE FLOOR GRINDING TO YOUR SOLUTIONS Delivering structural engineering solutions throughout regional New Zealand. PROUD TO SUPPORT Daniel Marshall Architects 1 Rakaunui Road, Taupo Phone: 07 386 8347 | apexwindows.co.nz selected Kepka Builders. They had built a house for a friend of the clients’ and an associate recommended them to us as well. It was important to have the right builder as we had to liaise with them remotely and Kepka Builders have great attention to detail and very good craftsmanship.” Based in Auckland DMA has won numerous awards previously. The practice works nationwide and aboard.
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