60 | T T Sue Russell Bay of Islands home a coastal head-turner Living and dining areas at Ridge Retreat in the Bay of Islands offer stunning ocean views. Francis Group Architects ARCHITECTURE Bay of Islands 2023 NZIA Branch Awards Winner paul@fgarchitects.co.nz Auckland & Northland GP ARCHITECTS FRANCIS Residential Commercial New Roofs Re-roofs ROOFING EXPERTS We are a well established and experienced Kerikeri based roofing company. Committed to providing our customers with the highest quality roofing solutions. CALL US! www.roofbayofislands.co.nz | Info@roofbayofislands.co.nz 0800 4ROOFA Subdivisions | Roading | Retaining Walls | House Sites For all your earthmoving needs call Lawrence: 021 976282 Ph: 027 664 6660 | E: russ@bayplumbingservices.co.nz Bay Plumbing Services congratulate Paul Francis on his stunning new home on Moturoa Island, a pleasure to have been involved in this bespoke project alongside his team. BPS have the drive, innovation and skill set to deliver quality plumbing and drainage solutions, all backed up by our Master Plumbers Guarantee. Always ready for a challenge, call Russ to discuss your project. BAY PLUMBING SERVICES PLUMBING • DRAINAGE • SOLAR • SPOUTING • WOOD FIRE INSTALLATION • HOT WATER CYLINDERS Francis Group Architects is a multi-disciplinary, award winning architectural practice based in Auckland Northland. Leading the team is experienced practitioner Paul Francis who carries a passion to deliver clients bespoke highly-articulated designs to thrive living and working in. Building relationships has been key to longevity and success as Paul explains. “We know that our clients place value in the working relationships we build with them. Taking time to understand their needs and aspirations has resulted in a high proportion of repeat business.” Paul says its an invigorating, creative, challenging and constantly evolving professional to work in. He especially enjoys the collaborative nature of his work, walking a journey with clients and involving the Francis Group team. “We’ve been able to provide consistency to our clients as we go to great lengths to understand their specific needs, expectations and aspirations.” The practice engages the latest technologies to build design modelling, including Building Information Modelling software in conjunction with three dimensional visualisation. This year has seen continued success for the practice, when the Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects’ Auckland Architecture Awards, Housing category were announced at a gala evening held on 8 June at the Viaduct Events Centre. ‘Ridge Retreat’ in the Bay of Islands sits sweetly in a coastal situation, enjoying water views to the north and west. The brief called for a holiday retreat that would allow the owners and extended family to enjoy the water and land and to have the capacity to accommodate family and friends coming and going, while affording privacy and separate living. “Our clients lived for many years on a nearby site in a 50 year old home, so they were in the perfect position to see the impact of wind and rain on the home and site. This helped inform our choice of materials and the design of the new home,” Paul says. The reference house utilised deep verandas to shield it and occupants from the weather and reduce the need for maintenance and this thinking was taken up into the two-wing design. To give both a sense of separation and connection the wings are separated by a covered outdoor connecting room. The main wing is home to three bedrooms, two bathrooms and open plan living/dining spaces while the east wing, which carries a smaller footprint is partially self-contained. “It was important to our clients that there be plenty of flexibility in how the home could be used, depending on who was staying and this simple design answered that need.” Three deep verandahs afford plenty of protection from the elements, regardless of wind direction. There’s a connection between the 1970’s house and the new home’s character and choice of materials, in keeping with and in celebration of the districts rural residential built history. Planning restrictions also informed design decisions. Rules demanded a maximum height of 5.m rolling. To achieve this, and to satisfy geotech considerations, the site was dug out with approximately 2,000m3 of earth removed and spread over the wider land area. “It also created flat areas around the perimeter of the building, adding to the overall functionality and enjoyment of the outdoor spaces.” Site limitations dictated the choice of construction materials with minimal use of concrete and no steel, given the harsh coastal environment. Timber structural elements were kept to minimal size. And with a nod to the wearability of the old house, cedar board and batten were the choice for cladding, while hardwood decking completed the picture. The marine environment also dictated the choice of roofing, with coated aluminium corrugated long-run roofing, anodised aluminium joinery, copper gutters and PVC downpipe (required for water tanks). Careful thought was also given to sustainability in the design with passive environmental control through orientation used to its fullest effect. “The home takes advantage of solar heat and light through the placement windows and shading devices in specific locations. High levels of insulation were considered essential in walls, roofs and floors to conserve heat and minimise heat gain in summer.” Improved indoor air quality is enhanced through natural ventilation eliminating the need for mechanical cooling. Around the fireplaces high thermal mass concrete block is used, storing heat for later release to regulate indoor temperature. “We’re thrilled with the recognition of the level of care and thought that has gone into every aspect of this home’s design and situation resulting in a very liveable, inviting, functional home with an easy coastal feel for our clients to enjoy.”
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