| 63 T T Richard Loader A modern twist to traditional forms The design brief required reference to Canterbury’s traditional residential forms including steep roofing and timber weather boards. Geoff Tune Architecture ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN Geoff Tune is passionate about the art and craft of architectural design, but the thing that drives him above everything else is the satisfaction of clients happy with the result — their expectations exceeded. Christchurch based Geoff Tune Architecture was engaged by Jake Erskine to design two stand-alone townhouses to fit on a compact 464sqm section in Christchurch’s leafy and well-established Woodham Road, replacing an old single storey character home that had suffered substantial earthquake damage. The design brief required reference to Canterbury’s traditional residential forms including steep roofing and timber weather boards to draw in the character aspect, but with a modern twist. The brief also included open plan kitchen, living and lounge spaces, very high ceilings, a minimum of two bedrooms with built in wardrobes, and a strong connection to the exterior deck. There also had to be ample storage space and single car garaging with internal access. The response embraced two two-bedroom townhouses, each delivering 100sqm of floor space, a single bathroom with walk-in shower, and open plan living. A very steep 45° roof pitch enabled a mezzanine floor designated for storage space, along with further storage space in the ceiling cavity, and substantial garage storage. Energy efficiency both in construction and performance was another key driver for the home owner, who is also the builder, says Geoff. “That has been achieved through the use of energy efficient products and reducing the carbon footprint. “We’re using a lot of natural products with timber weather boards, and heated concrete floor that generates a nice ambient radiant heat. Large glazing to the north face aspect soaks up the sun which is then absorbed by the solid concrete base. “There was a lot of thought given to how the building would perform thermally, and it well exceeds the building code in terms of wall thickness and insulation thickness. “We used thermally broken aluminium recessed into the wall frame to maximise its thermal value. We’re also bringing in beautiful internal features with timber throughout, some of which will be recycled rimu and other timbers from the original house.” Design work was completed early this year, with the first townhouse due to be completed by the end of the year and the other built next year. Specialising in residential architectural design, both in new builds and alterations, Geoff says what his company brought to the design project was the skill to encompass the strong character features required by the client, yet in a simple pared back manner that enables each townhouse to speak for itself. “We have significant experience working with a lot of traditional villa type architecture from a renovation and extension perspective, and developing that beautiful stock we have in Christchurch. “With this project we were able to transfer those skills to a new build, and doing it in a way which was clean, simple and modern in its aesthetic. “ I loved the challenge of creating a design that would deliver maximum result in terms of its spatial awareness within a minimum footprint. I feel we achieved that with both the form and the aspect of sunlight and thermal efficiency. It is a triumph with the client coming up with a brief and then trusting us to express that on paper and take a journey with him. To see the home in its built form is hugely satisfying.” For a healthy, high-performance home, your search starts here. PERFECTING AIR QUALITY Discover the new standard in high-performance sustainable building. 1062 Colombo St, Christchurch. 9am - 4pm, Mon - Fri. healthbasedbuilding.com Our demonstration home showcases a combination of healthy, sustainable materials, and the cutting-edge Foreverbreathe™ Specification which manages air exchanges, humidity and air quality. A specification that delivers higher energy efficiency and a more comfortable living environment. OPEN NOW
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