| 71 T T Karen Phelps A ‘raw house for a raw landscape’ The judges noted how the rammed-earth home seemed at ease with the Otago landscape. ARCHITECTURE C Nott Architects Winning a national housing accolade at the 2023 New Zealand Architecture Awards was celebration of both the project and architecture in general for C Nott Architects director Charlie Nott. The projects is Located at Ophir Bridge Road in Maniototo, Otago. The judges noted how the home seemed at ease with the Otago landscape made from a range of tough, durable and tactile materials, including rammed earth walls and a polished earth floor. Charlie says he worked closely with the repeat clients and friends to form a “raw house for a raw landscape” combining the client’s strong visual and story telling skills (they have a background in branding and visual arts) alongside C Nott Architects’ architectural and building knowledge. “The brief was to form a house that was strong but simple in form; merged with the landscape and have a sustainable story. The house was to be contemporary but not ostentatious, fitting into its surround - respectful to its environment,” says Charlie. The work of Arizona architect Rick Joy was sought for inspiration and the result was a series of contemporary earth buildings. The build comprises a small studio space with bathroom amenities to complement a caravan on the site and main house with living area with kitchen connected via an outdoor room/breezeway to the main bedroom and bathroom. Fortuitously one of New Zealand’s foremost rammed earth builders was located less than an hours drive from the site: Jimmy Cotter from Down to Earth Building. With earthquake conditions to adhere to that influence the overall structural design response, a well detailed and coordinated steel structure was incorporated by Ezed. “The rammed earth construction was chosen for its ease of supply and long lasting qualities requiring no maintenance. “As the earth was sourced locally it blends with the landscape. Earth has a beautiful aesthetic quality both from the exterior and interior finish. Thermally it is offers cooling in summer and stays warm with a little constant heat in winter,” explains Charlie. The siting of the house to face north, hunkerdown from winds, thermal mass of building material along with good insulation “Earth has a beautiful aesthetic quality both from the exterior and interior finish. Thermally it is offers cooling in summer and stays warm with a little constant heat in winter.” detailing allows the house to make the most of natural thermal gains. And for those not so sunny -20 degree days a ULEB wood burner along with a wood pellet fired radiator system heat the house with minimal emissions. Landscaping was left to collaborate with the existing environment – left relatively untouched. “There are no lush green turf lawns laid or watered here,” says Charlie. “The arid landscape of dry grasses, mosses and lichens with stacks of schist tors did not need a landscape designer. And the resident Border Terrier is more than happy to chase the local rabbits.” Although initially the clients intended to only build a holiday home over the slow build Charlie says they became part of the community. As a result of the cost of the build they chose to sell up in Wellington and now live in the home permanently. “Covid has better enabled people to live remotely and still work in main centres. This then has a knock on effect of revitalising the local community as new people become part of it.” C Nott Architects is a small firm completing projects of all sizes throughout New Zealand. It is an accredited New Zealand Institute of Architects Practice and has won multiple NZIA Regional and NZIA National awards in diverse categories. Building rammed earth and conventional homes throughout Central Otago and New Zealand for over 25 years. 0274 780 446 dtebuilding@gmail.com www.downtoearthbuilding.co.nz Call to view our show home
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