| 125 T T Russell Fredric An architecturally designed home on a tightly constrained site in Wellington has become the perfect showcase for Brooklyn Building. Featuring smart design while maximising the use of the site, for Brooklyn Building owner Max Butcher, the project was especially personal. He and his wife bought the section in Brooklyn, Wellington, demolished the existing house and built two architectural homes. “We purchased a skinny section with an old house on it, knocked that little house down and built two really nice architectural homes on it. We recently sold the first one and we’re building another one,” Max says. Brooklyn Building undertakes everything from fences through to kitchens, bathrooms, substantial renovations and architectural homes. While the team enjoys new builds, Wellington’s limited supply of residential land means renovation work makes up most of its workload, with some projects approaching the million-dollar mark. The Washington Ave site presented the sort of challenge common throughout Wellington: a section only about seven or eight metres wide but stretching roughly 60 metres in length. Working alongside a.k.a. Architecture, the design maximised the urban site while creating practical spaces for everyday living. “It was a collaboration really. It’s in a pretty dense urban zone, so it was nice to have a garage and then two additional car parks out the front. Out the back we didn’t have a huge backyard, but we ended up with a courtyard, deck and a little lawn, which is all I really need. The finished home combines a large lower-level garage with about 125 square metres of living space above, centred around a long open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. Poured in-situ concrete foundation walls, black Abodo timber cladding, polished concrete floors, recycled timber flooring, built-in joinery and a skylight above the kitchen create a contemporary aesthetic while remaining practical. One of the home’s standout features is its hydronic underfloor heating. An air-to-water heat pump circulates warm water through the polished concrete slab, while generous north-facing glazing allows passive solar gain A perfect showcase for Brooklyn Building BUILDING Brooklyn Building The Washington Ave site presented the sort of challenge common throughout Wellington: a section only about seven or eight metres wide but stretching roughly 60 metres in length. to warm the concrete naturally throughout the day. “The house would constantly sit around 23 or 24 degrees and the power bill would be about $250 to $300 a month at maximum. Through summer you barely needed to run it because the sun heats the concrete and it holds that warmth for hours. We loved it so much I’d recommend it to anyone considering building with a concrete slab foundation.” Beyond new homes, Brooklyn Building regularly works alongside architects on renovation projects. Max believes early collaboration between architects and builders delivers better outcomes by balancing creative design with Building quality, bespoke homes across Wellington 027 897 0949 | info@brooklynbuilding.co.nz BROOKLYN BUILDING Extensions & Alterations Bathrooms and Kitchens Exterior Work Minor commercial Work Project management Architectural new builds Renovations Focus Engineering Consultants are proud to support Brooklyn Building Structural Design of Residential Dwellings, Townhouses and Apartments practical construction knowledge and realistic budgets. “I think the earlier you engage a builder, the better. Builders have a good handle on what things actually cost, while architects bring the creative flair. Working together from the concept stage gives everyone a much better understanding of what’s possible.” Today, Max leads a team of five, tackling the broad mix of projects that keeps both newbuild and renovation skills sharp. “Everyone enjoys the new builds, but renovations often require more skill and thought because you’re merging old with new. You’re always trying to look as many stages ahead as possible, and that really comes with experience.”
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