| 55 T T Ange Davidson Working out in a work of art Photos: Vaughan Brookfield ARCHITECTURE Yoke A stand-alone pool house and gym on a private residence in the Wakatipu Basin has earned Yoke. a 2023 Southern rchitecture Award for Housing – Alterations and Additions with the New Zealand Institute of Architects. Architects Thom Ibbotson and Camden Pyke worked on The Pool project alongside construction management company Triple Star with a brief to accommodate a 25-metre pool and gym for both private use and the rehabilitation of performance athletes. “This was an awesome project to work on for an existing client who afforded us the trust and freedom to run with the design and aesthetic. “A project like this would usually be commercial in nature so it was an incredible opportunity to put this into a domestic setting,” says Thom. The pool house is tucked away at the back of the property and while it has its own architectural style, it sits comfortably with the existing dwellings schist exterior and gabled forms. “For the exteriors we employed concrete precast panels and raw steel with a low-lying flat roof creating a slim structure to sit below The Remarkables mountain range in the background. The interior walls and floor are in natural blue stone from Timaru which provide a dark, moody ambience that evokes a rich warmth,” he says. The building was designed around the pool which was procured from Italy as a flat pack and around the windows imported from Germany. Triple Star Construction Management provided a streamlined process for the build which enabled the project to be completed within 18 months from design commencing. The Pool was one of several projects that the three-person architectural firm took on during Covid. The firm anticipated a slump in work opportunities during the global pandemic, but instead the workload exploded. “We couldn’t have predicted that things would take off as they did. There was so much building happening after Covid. “A lot of people realised they didn’t need to be in a big city for work as they could work remotely, or people were of an age and stage where they could semi-retire.,” he says. “With the construction market steadily increasing, potential clients were locking in builders first, so there were clients and projects looking for architects. It was an interesting time.” Much of the firm’s workload comprises of residential houses for Kiwis and Australians, such as a large new build on Hogan’s Gully Road near Arrowtown with a warm grey schist exterior and a standalone cottage in corrugated iron. Another exciting project is a holiday home or retreat at Wyuna Preserve near Glenorchy. The low angled roof allows unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains, and an outdoor sunken fire pit provides a sheltered area for relaxing. Renovation and commercial work came together with the revamp of the historic Gantley’s Hotel at the foot of Coronet Peak near Arthur’s Point. What was one of Queenstown’s oldest hospitality businesses, built in 1865, is now home to Cargo Brewery. A boutique brewery in Wanaka called B.Social has also benefited from the crew’s design skills. Yoke is a creative studio providing architecture, interiors and design, and as the name suggests, they are committed to forming a connection and balance between the client, architect and landscape. Yoke is a strong metaphor for their architectural process. The Pool House building sits comfortably with the existing dwellings schist exterior and gabled forms. · Structural Steel Fabrication · Stainless Steel Fabrication · Alloy Fabrication · Architectural fabrication · Lift & elevator products · Engineering Design · Project Management · Hand Rails & Balustrades · Engineering Certification · Shop Drawing detailing · Based Queenstown and Dunedin www.dartengineering.co.nz 03 442 3244 regan@dartengineering.co.nz Rapid 67, SH6, Queenstown PO Box 2244 Queenstown • Luxury domestic joinery • Exterior Timber Joinery • Custom Timber Mouldings • Commercial Fitouts www.woodsolutions.co.nz
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