68 | ARCHITECTURE Guy Evans Architects Shaping enduring homes At the heart of the home, the winter garden atrium acts as a light filled connector between living zones. T T Kelly Deeks Guy Evans Architects is proving that good design has strong appeal, with a recently completed Fendalton home. Guy says the completed residence is a clear example of the value of working with a registered architect, where design thinking, site potential, and long-term performance are carefully shaped from the outset. “Considered architectural input can lift both the performance and experience of a home, particularly on complex sites where history, context, and future use all need to be carefully balanced,” he says. This project reflected a clear opportunity to rethink how a home engages with its surroundings while responding to the needs of modern family living. It came from a site that had an important history but a building that was beyond repair after the earthquakes. “It was about creating something that respected that past while making full use of the opportunities of the site going forward.” The home sits beside the Avon River and opens onto a reinstated tennis court, with the design arranged as two main wings connected by a central winter garden atrium. The residence features a series of carefully composed spaces including a tea house pavilion positioned within the front garden, designed as a sculptural form that complements the geometry of the main building. At the heart of the home, the winter garden atrium acts as a light filled connector between living zones. A grand stair is set within this space, with exposed steel structure and finely detailed tubular louvres that cast shifting shadows across white interior surfaces throughout the day. The result is a constantly changing interior environment shaped by light and time. The design also incorporates double-height spaces that help modulate sunlight and enhance spatial openness, while thermal performance and acoustic insulation have been carefully considered to ensure the home remains warm, quiet, and comfortable yearround. Guy says the architectural approach was driven by both performance and atmosphere, ensuring the home feels refined while remaining highly functional. The relationship between interior and exterior spaces has been carefully managed, with key living areas oriented to capture views and sunlight while maintaining privacy and shelter. He says working with a registered architect provides clients with a structured process that can uncover the full potential of a site, particularly where constraints exist. Early feasibility studies, coordinated consultant input, and clear design communication all contribute to better outcomes, both in design quality and long term value. Guy Evans Architects is based in Otautahi Christchurch and works across Aotearoa New Zealand on residential, commercial, and interior projects. The practice focuses primarily on residential work, ranging from single family homes through to apartments and townhouse developments, along with renovations, alterations and repurposing of existing buildings. The practice is focused on problem solving through design, with each project tailored to its context and client needs. Strong relationships with consultants and builders are central to delivering coordinated outcomes. Guy says the Fendalton home reflects the wider value of architectural design in shaping enduring places to live. “Good design is about distilling the essence of a brief and turning it into something that is not only functional, but meaningful and lasting.” Key living areas have been oriented to capture views and sunlight while maintaining privacy and shelter - Window furnishings supplied by McKenzie & Willis’.
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