| 57 Small home tackles ‘some big ideas’ Every centimetre of space in the 42sqm home was important and designed for a high degree of liveability. William Samuels Architects T T Karen Phelps ARCHITECTURE Nelson based architect William Samuels has proved that the path to home ownership can take many forms with his multiple award winning Studio House. “Though small, the Studio House attempts to tackle some big ideas,” says William. “As an exploration of an affordable path to home ownership, a more sustainable approach to building and a testament to the liveability of smaller spaces, the house serves as a model for an alternate mode of living and as a radical departure in how we think about ‘home’.” The compact single bedroom 42sqm home came from the desire of William and his wife Hannah D’Arcy to own their own house. As the home is built on leased land, with a long-term lease in place for security, this enabled the pair to invest all their capital in the construction of the house, which they also built themselves. “Reducing the upfront land costs provided us with the financial flexibility needed to focus our attention on the spatial qualities and liveability of the home,” explains William. There were several build constraints: the house needed to be relocatable so it could be easily moved on completion of the lease or if the couple found themselves in a position to purchase land elsewhere in the future. This led to the development of a series of interconnected modules, which can be removed from their foundations and individually relocated, each of which are within the maximum dimensions of a trailer. Every centimetre of space was important and designed for a high degree of liveability. If required, additional modules can be added at a later point. William stresses that the house in its present form is by no means the finished entity and is likely to grow and evolve, as the couple’s needs change. “This idea has emerged from a belief that architecture should not be static, that it should be malleable and adapt over time,” he says. For the modules to be easily relocatable they needed to be narrow enough to fit on a trailer, which restricts the width of each room. To create a greater sense of volume, the modules are joined via an open ‘pinwheel’ plan, where each functional space within the home connects to a larger conjoined central area, resulting in a series of spaces with shared volumes. “Reducing the upfront land costs provided us with the financial flexibility needed to focus our attention on the spatial qualities and liveability of the home.” The height of each module is maximised, with the ceilings being formed as gently arching barrel vaults. A loft above the bathroom provides a secondary living space within the heart of a barrel vault, a cosy reading room with a stunning outlook. Natural materials have been used wherever possible, with rimu lining boards providing the internal skin. Black MDF sheets were used for the joinery, including the kitchen cabinetry. No paint was used within the project. Like many small spaces, the relationship with the outside is of primary importance. The house is designed to spill out onto the deck through large format sliding doors, creating an extension of the living area. By building small the couple also significantly reduced their resource use, both in the construction and ongoing energy requirements, resulting in an incredibly sustainable model. “As architects we should be advocating for alternate modes of living, demonstrating that there are ways to live well without needing to build to excess.” The project was the 2023 New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) winner of the National Architecture Award for Small Projects. It also won the NZIA Nelson and Marlborough Architecture Award for Residential Design and was awarded House of the Year at the 2023 NZ Timber Design Awards. It was short listed for the Dezeen World Rural House of the Year competition. William Samuels Architects offers bespoke architectural solutions throughout New Zealand. WILLIAM SAMUELS ARCHITECTS
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