Business South January 2024

74 | MAS Architecture T T Ange Davidson Embracing the owner’s vision The team won highly commended awards for Waihopai House, an entertainer’s home on a lifestyle block north of Invercargill. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN Based in Invercargill, MAS Architecture is an enthusiastic architectural studio that specialises in bespoke residential new homes, alterations and light commercial. It takes pride in producing exciting and responsive architecture as shown by recent wins at the 2023 Regional ADNZ Resene Design Awards. Led by Matt Anderson-Stewart, the team won highly commended awards for Waihopai House, an entertainer’s home on a lifestyle block north of Invercargill and Kingston Hut, a relaxed family bach on the shores of Lake Wakatipu at Kingston. “It’s nice to get recognised for the work you put it but its also a chance to document your work with some good photos and a presentation, and to reflect on what you’ve achieved. We try to enter a house or design every year as it’s also a chance to network and be involved in the design community. It makes you feel good about what you’re doing,” believes Matt. The Waihopai House follows the owner’s vision of how the large home presents itself in the landscape with its views of the Takitimu mountains. It employs cedar cladding and plaster to soften the exterior while the interior makes good use of north facing glazing and exposed concrete floors for thermal mass. Kingston Hut takes a completely different approach using timber piles to get above the flood plain, timber frames and flooring. The cladding is a thermally modified pine called Abodo which is heat treated and stabilised. The bach has a minimal footprint on the land which has been contoured and landscaped to let the house blend with the environment. The owners can’t be built out and enjoy magnificent lake views through large gable windows. “There’s a really peeled back approach to living with ply finishes and a bunk room. It’s a good Kiwi bach and lifestyle for an Invercargill family with three young kids,” says Matt. MAS Architecture has four design staff in Invercargill and a designer based in Christchurch. Matt oversees most of the design work and will hand a project over to the team to see it through the development and design stage and finally council. “The majority of our work is a mixture of medium to high residential. The Central Lakes generate work but there’s also plenty going on in Invercargill and Southland. The medium house price in Invercargill is a lot less than Queenstown although those prices have had quite a shock in the last eight years.” “Invercargill’s population is growing, and we need to get the housing stock up. We’ve just finished a block of apartments in Windsor near Queen’s Park which is a very different way of living for Invercargill. It was an opportunity for us to do something different and they sold well. The council is realising that land is hard to find at the moment and they’re looking at how they can intensify development,” he says. “There’s not a lot of land where people want to be. Pockets of land are popping up but nothing substantial. The district plan rules are a bit archaic and they need to release more land.” Primary industries and Tiwai Point aluminium smelter help grow Invercargill’s population as do data centres relocating from Auckland for cheaper real estate. More commercial development brings more opportunities in construction such as the city’s new mall and hotel in the city, and residential builds. MAS Architecture is a practice that values the design process from initial concept design through all stages of design and documentation to final completion. “We genuinely love what we do and see the design process as a collaborative approach to ensure the end result is not only achieved but enjoyed. We have a careful eye for detail and scale whilst also taking a practical approach to deliver projects of high quality.” 2016 LTD • NEW BUILDS • ALTERATIONS • TV & HOME AUDIO Call today for a free quote. Jared Forde | 027 753 6733 | forde.electrical@hotmail.com RES I DENT I AL & COMMERC I AL PH 03 215 9208 CELL 0274 346 012 | 0274 346 009 A/Hrs 03 2130 811 or 03 213 1575 18 Arena Avenue | Invercargill • Drainlayers • Plumbing • Roofing • Registered • Bathroom & Kitchen • Renovations PAINTING-DECORATING & STOPPING Darryl Olphert | 021 977 408 | darryl@olphertcontracting.co.nz New Homes Wall Papering Spray Painting Texture Coating Plasterboard Stopping Fibrous supply & install Commercial Painting MULTIPLE AWARD WINNERS Painting - Decorating - Plasterboard Stopping 021 770 952 - sheenercrete@xtra.co.nz • Driveways • House Floors • Sheds and Garages • Outdoor Areas • All Dairy Work • Coloured and Exposed Finished QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY GUARANTEED

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=