| 85 T T Kelly Deeks Commendation for sensitive renovation project Diana Blake Design has brought home a Highly Commended Award for Residential Alterations and Additions from the Waikato and Bay of Plenty 2024 ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN Diana Blake Design Architectural studio Diana Blake Design has brought home a Highly Commended Award for Residential Alterations and Additions from the Waikato and Bay of Plenty 2024 ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards for the revitalising renovation of a special home. Diana’s clients and their extended family are now enjoying their newly renovated Whangamatā beach house, originally built by their dad. “We took this family connection on board and retained some of the character of the original house,” Diana says. “We saved as much of the original structure as possible, including panels of the existing clicker brick cladding, which my clients chipped off the protruding aggregates before a render finish was applied. Some of the original furniture has also been retained, which really helps to preserve the character of this much-loved family bach.” On a sloping harbourside section, the existing home had two levels and neither had taken advantage of the beautiful outlook towards the pohutukawa-lined waterfront. With indoor-outdoor flow a critical aspect of bach life, Diana Blake Design has opened up the front of the home with a huge stacked slider from the lower-level living room, and two large sliding windows framing the view from the living areas on the upper floor. A new stand-alone garage at the front of the home provides shelter and privacy to two harbour-facing outdoor areas. An addition comprises a new kitchen and dining space opening out to both the living areas on the ground floor and mezzanine. A striking, double-sided log burner between dining and living areas provides a focal point and brings some separation between the two spaces, as the flue sweeps past the glass balustrade of the mezzanine floor. With the future of this family in mind, Diana Blake Design has provided space and a foundation for a lift to be easily installed if it’s ever needed. Diana says she has continued with her preference for beautiful, durable, and eco-friendly natural materials, bringing cedar notes from the exterior cladding through to the inside and up the stairwell, cladding the internal wall and adding cedar batten screening up the inside of the staircase. ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards judges said Diana Blake Design’s thoughtful and respectful approach helped to exemplify the art of keeping a home vibrant across generations, navigating the delicate balance between tradition and innovation with finesse and care. “Rather than start from scratch, we have tried to retain some of the integrity of the shell of the building. Now it’s so much more than just a house sitting on a section, and it’s all set up for the future,” Diana says. Coming up with the best solution is always the fun part and for Diana Blake Design, it’s a real family affair. Two of Diana’s children, Jeremy and Claudia, have qualified as architectural technicians and joined their mum in her business, Jeremy six years ago and Claudia just last year. They both have a natural eye for design and their young blood and fresh ideas are a huge asset to the business and its future. Diana Blake Design has always been a busy studio since it was established in 1998. With upcoming lakeside projects, one in Queenstown and one a bit closer to home at Lake Tarawera, Diana and her team are looking forward to working with some of the different materials they can’t usually specify at home on the coast. 027 222 2286 info@ohlsonandwhitelaw.co.nz www.ohlsonandwhitelaw.co.nz PO Box 42, Whitianga Proudly supporting Diana Blake Design. Design & Build • Project Management • New Homes • Alterations KGW CONSULTING ENGINEERS 24A Empire St, Cambridge PO Box 721 Cambridge 3450 M 027 202 5575 E admin@kgwengineers.co.nz www.kgwengineers.co.nz STRUCTURAL DESIGN FROM RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL TO EARTHQUAKE BrianWalker Builders Ltd Award winning Master Builders that provides Quality Workmanship At Brian Walker Builders Ltd we specialise in New Residential builds, Alterations and Commercial Buildings. 0274 538693 baljwalker@xtra.co.nz www.brianwalkerbuilders.co.nz
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