82 | ARCHITECTURE Bull O’Sullivan Architecture Anna-Marie Chin Architects + Concrete Pools + Concrete Spas & Plunge Pools + Infinity Pools + Stainless Steel Pools + Pool Valets, Chemical Supply Visits, Pool Maintenance (03) 348 4593 | info@pioneerpools.co.nz www.pioneerpools.co.nz BUILT TO LAST, MAINTAINED TO PERFECTION CONSULTING ENGINEERS PROJECT MANAGEMENT GEOTECHNICAL STRUCTURAL CIVIL P: 03 450 2140 E: info@hadleys.co.nz hadleys.co.nz A lakeside sanctuary There are plenty of areas providing privacy, and shelter from the winds and sun. T T Aimee Wilson Arrowtown-based architect, Anna-Marie Chin, has won numerous awards for her work over the years, the latest one being for a lakeside sanctuary in Arrowtown. Designed for a retired couple, who desired simple, informal living with an uncompromising connection to the landscape, the home was recognised by the New Zealand Institute of Architects and shortlisted nationally. The clients’ brief was for simplistic, easy living with a strong connection to the lake and central courtyard. Featuring two horizontal pavilions, the home includes a two-storey bedroom pavilion carved out of the hill with upper-level car port and private apartment. Guests are led down oversized steps from the upper level into a landscaped courtyard where a garden oasis awaits. The horizontal roof planes also feature roof gardens that provide shelter, while accentuating the panoramic views across the lake. There are plenty of areas providing privacy, and shelter from the winds and sun, in an area known for its extreme climate year round. Timber ceiling linings and cabinetry pieces soften the interior, bringing in warmth and texture. Light filters through the house creating mood with the interplay of light and shadow. The judges said Anna-Marie turned a constrained lakeside site into a calm and generous place to live. “A simple material palette and refined detailing support an informal and grounded way of living, closely connected to both the courtyard and surrounding landscape. “Interior spaces are carefully arranged to open towards the lake while maintaining a close relationship with the central outdoor space. Subtle materials and clear planning create a strong sense of permanence, comfort, and calm throughout the home.” Anna-Marie Chin has built a team of eight in Arrowtown, who create buildings that are beautiful, often simple, and sit at ease with the land. For them, the creative nature and challenge of the design is all important, crafting buildings unique to each individual client. “As registered architects, we enjoy working with clients who are interested in architecture, and who want to engage in the design process. This relationship is integral to the outcome, and is based on clarity and trust,” Anna-Marie says. Lyttelton Chapel a rewarding project T T Alexiis Anderson Bull O’Sullivan Architecture’s award-winning Chapel of St Thérèse of Lisieux reflects the company’s belief that thoughtful design can benefit people and the place where it stands. The chapel, which overlooks Lyttelton Harbour, was recognised at this year’s New Zealand Institute of Architects Awards, capturing the judges’ attention for its personal story, sensitive response to its landscape, and generous spirit. It has also caught the attention of visitors from around the world, seeking quiet reflection. For Bull O’Sullivan Architecture, the recognition is rewarding, but the greatest achievement is seeing how the chapel has been embraced by those who experience it, registered architect Michael O’Sullivan says. “Every project is deeply personal and therefore responds well to the energy of the land. It’s rewarding to see how the chapel has resonated with so many, attracting visitors from across the planet who are seeking prayer, quiet contemplation, or spiritual enlightenment.” The project started during a quieter period for the practice, providing an opportunity to explore architecture through hands-on construction. “We had little work in the studio at the time, and there is no better way to learn as an architect than through making,” Michael says. The chapel was crafted as a gift to Christchurch following the Canterbury earthquakes. “I bought a piece of land here in Lyttelton just after the 2011 earthquakes and drew 350 chimney repairs to pay for it. “I didn’t know a soul in the city. In the spirit of reciprocity, it was important to gift something back to the people of Christchurch, who have so generously welcomed me here.” That generosity and passion became the project’s guiding principle, while the surrounding landscape played an equally important role in shaping the design. “I was deeply inspired by the land. My dad was a first-generation Irish immigrant and grew up in a town called Castletown-Bearhaven. The landscape reminded me of Lyttelton, a small slice of Ireland here in the South Pacific.” The chapel’s orientation towards Ripapa Island acknowledges the site’s history, while carefully framing the views it offers. Inside, native rimu and a distinctive red translucent roof create a symbolic interior. “Red polycarbonate was chosen for its multitude of religious and spiritual connotations. The interior is lined with native rimu extracted from a river on the south-west coast of the South Island. The rimu log lay in the river for 600 years, having stood for 1000 years prior,” Michael says. “There’s something quite beautiful about a tree that came to fruition a few hundred years after Jesus Christ walked the planet. It is a highly spirited place that evokes mortality and passion, in that order.” The church is also home to a kauri and rimu crucifix, which was carved by Māori artist Johnny Hauraki and further reinforces the chapel’s connection to New Zealand’s natural and cultural heritage. Bull O’Sullivan Architecture not only designed the award-winning structure but also built it. “Standing up the first 6.2-metre-high steel portal with a chain block hooked up to our own scaffolding was the most challenging aspect of the construction,” says Michael. Established in 1994 by Michael and fellow registered architect, Andrew Bull, Bull O’Sullivan Architecture now comprises seven staff across Auckland and Lyttelton, who deliver civic, commercial, educational and residential projects throughout New Zealand and overseas. The chapel was crafted as a gift to Christchurch. ELECTRICAL & HEAT PUMP SOLUTIONS FOR QUALITY ARCHITECTURAL HOMES Proud to work alongside Bull O’Sullivan Architecture 027 364 4040 dwight@grayburnelectrical.co.nz grayburnelectrical.co.nz
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