Three recent New Zealand architecture graduates wanted to get real hands-on experience with the actual building a house, something that was not part of their architecture education. At the same time, they were able to jump-start their careers by designing and building a house, dubbed the DOGBOX, that was recognized with an award from the Auckland Architecture Association.
Ben Mitchell-Anyon, Sally Ogle and Tim Gittos spent months searching property listings for affordable land before finding a cheap section in Wanganui on the North Island. The property was steep, requiring that the building materials be carried up to the small buildable area at the top. Because the three did most of the work themselves with the help of friends, the extra effort to move materials lengthened the project’s timeline but did not add much extra expense.
They also searched for low-cost and recycled building materials, designing the house around their finds — several rusty iron trusses and a stack of pine poles. The house appears complex but at its core it is just a straightforward two-storey rectangular box. Half the roof covers the 88 m2 (947 ft2) interior of the house while the other half extends forward to shelter a series of decks and verandahs that jog in and out from under the roofline. Twinwall polycarbonate panels screening the upper verandah add a layer of semi-transparency, hinting at the structure behind and glowing like a lantern at night.
The polycarbonate panels screen off outdoor rooms on the upper verandah, including an outdoor bathing area (there is an inside bathroom too). Some of the panels slide or flip open, allowing for adjustment based on desired levels of sunlight, shade and breeze. A daring design decision was too not have any inside hallway upstairs, so the only circulation path from the top of the stairs to the two bedrooms and bathroom is via the verandah.
To keep finishing costs down, some materials were left in their raw state with no or minimal finishing. In other cases, cheap materials were used but were detailed well and carefully combined with other materials for an overall appearance that is greater than the sum of the parts. The concrete retaining wall along the back of the lower level was left exposed, while the floor is polished concrete. Most of the other walls and ceilings were finished with sanded construction-grade plywood, and the deck railing is simple chain-link fencing.
Have a great weekend!
#gallery-0-2 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-2 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 14%; } #gallery-0-2 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-2 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
small cottages
Photographs courtesy of Patch Work Architecture.
Text copyright 2014 SmallHouseBliss. All Rights Reserved.
The DOGBOX, a small affordable house designed and built by three New Zealand architecture grads. See 27 photos at Three recent New Zealand architecture graduates wanted to get real hands-on experience with the actual building a house, something that was not part of their architecture education.
