76 | NJS Architecture & BJ Carter Fearon Hay Architects ARCHITECTURE Safe and Reliable Electrical Services At AMTEC Electrical we are totally committed to supplying a service that consistently meets the requirements of our customers. We are dedicated to continually improve our service by involving all employees in establishing and maintaining quality systems. With 35 years experience in the business, we are your safe and reliable provider of electrical services in Invercargill. www.amtec.co.nz 03 217 6158 admin@amtec.net.nz 69 Eye St, Invercargill Residential • Commercial • New Builds• Alterations Building Maintenance • IQP Registered• Site Safe Certified ¸õÁªÕů¦äĒ¦ ò·İ äİÜğ ĒĒĒݦäĒ¦ ò·İ äİÜğ 5SBOTGPSNJOH JOUFSJPST UISPVHI CFBVUJGVM QMBTUFS GJOJTIFT 1PMJTIFE 1MBTUFS .JDSPDFNFOU $PODSFUF -PPL 'JOJTIFT HOUSES, FIRE PLACES, STACKED STONE, SCHIST RETAINING & DECORATIVE WALLS, PAVING ETC Qualified Tradesman - e: darrell@sistone.nz www.southislandstonemasonry.co.nz Darrell Jefferies 021 259 6025 New life for old bank Externally, the building was designed for low maintenance. T T Russell Fredric Prestigious award for Orchard House A tired 1970s former bank building in central Riverton has been given a new life as a contemporary op shop, with NJS Architecture reshaping its appearance and function. NJS Architecture principal Neil Slater was brought into the project through BJ Carter Builders, with the clients looking to turn the building into a new home for Riverton Community Op Shop. The former bank, later occupied by Riverton New Life Church, had retained its strong room and vault, while its dated street frontage presented an opportunity for a substantial visual change. For Neil, its position in the centre of Riverton made the project about more than providing a retail space. “I saw it as a real opportunity to [visually] add a modern contemporary building to the Riverton town centre.” The main structure and roof structure were retained, while the front was substantially reworked with full-height glazing, metal vertical cladding and a veranda, creating a cleaner appearance and shelter for customers entering the shop. The 2026 Southern Architecture Awards celebrated 27 projects across Otago, recognising work across housing, commercial, heritage, hospitality, education and other architectural categories. Presented by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects, the regional awards were announced at Dunedin’s Regent Theatre in May. Housing was particularly prominent, with 11 projects from the greater Queenstown and Wānaka area receiving awards. Among them was Orchard House by Fearon Hay Architects, a winner in the Housing category and also a recipient of a Resene Colour Award. The NZIA jury highlighted the home’s relationship with its established chestnut orchard, mountain views, natural materials and rural character. For Fearon Hay, the starting point was to create a home that would sit quietly within the landscape rather than dominate it. Orchard House incorporates a main residence and separate guest wing for visitors or the owners’ children. Instead of removing the mature orchard, the architecture was positioned around the established trees, with a collection of individual forms gathered around a central arrival courtyard. The architectural language takes cues from the agricultural buildings of the region. A planning requirement for a minimum 22-degree roof pitch was turned into a defining feature, with a series of pitched volumes recalling the straightforward forms of rural sheds. This approach also allows different areas of the house to respond individually to the landscape, framing views towards the surrounding mountains while maintaining a strong connection with the orchard. Material selection reinforces that connection. Zinc corrugate extends across the roofs and walls, while local schist anchors the home in its Otago setting. Inside, the restrained exteInside, non-load-bearing walls were removed to create a more open retail space, with some retained for changing rooms and the former vault now used for storage. Neil raised the ceiling and window heights to bring more natural light into the building. New linings, ceilings, floor finishes, carpet tiles and lighting completed the refurbishment, while the toilets and kitchenette were upgraded, including an accessible toilet. Externally, the building was designed for low maintenance, with UltraClad metal cladding, plastered walls and a new roof at the existing pitch. Front landscaping was cleared and reshaped with benches and new planters, giving the site a more open and welcoming edge to the town centre. Neil says the project benefited from a strong working relationship with BJ Carter Builders, praising the way the wider project team worked together. “BJ Carter was superb as always. They’re good communicators with me, and all the subcontractors just worked together hand in hand, which makes life a lot easier.” The completed building has drawn strong local feedback. “The most important thing for me is the client was over the moon.” rior gives way to a warmer palette incorporating oak, limestone and layered materials. The owners’ lifestyle also helped shape the design. One is a potter, leading to the integration of a dedicated pottery studio, while their broader interest in design and making encouraged close collaboration between the architecture, landscape and interiors, with interiors developed in collaboration with Katie Lockhart. Environmental performance was another consideration, with Orchard House designed towards Passive House standards. Fearon Hay says it is grateful for the project’s recognition, describing its approach as centred on design excellence, careful consideration of site and place, and creativity. The practice sees Orchard House’s strength in its deliberately restrained response to the land; individual volumes frame different views, while the courtyard, orchard and interiors combine to create a home embedded within its setting. The owners’ lifestyle helped shape the design.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=