This ‘Queenstown Village’ is a long-term dream of an extended Auckland family who all share a love of the outdoors and, in particular, the scenic beauty of Queenstown and Central Otago. The challenge for architect Matthew Davis from Nott Architects would be to fit five houses on the L-shaped site and to deliver the specific requirements for each of the families, including the use of local materials where possible such as schist, heavy mortar cladding, and the 13mm Amisfield exposed aggregate concrete driveway by Firth. These local elements, combined with the warmth of vertical cedar cladding have been inspired by a Welsh village lane and well known local winery, Amisfield - a regular haunt for the family.
“The brief was to provide five town houses built for a group of siblings, their elderly parents and teenage children,” explains Matt. “The L-shaped site of two sections combined is located a stones throw from the Queenstown Gardens at the ‘quiet end’ of Frankton Road and each section has street access from Frankton Road and Hobart Street.”
“The family was keen to each have their own well-appointed 250sqm, 3 or 4 bedroom, standalone house but to also maintain connection and outdoor links between them all,” says Matt. “Each house includes garaging and outdoor living areas.”
“No one was keen on a row of identical town houses or a block of apartments, rather a collection of simple, classic forms in materials often associated with the Queenstown vernacular,” says Matt.
Design ideas centred around a Welsh fishing village with linking lanes and pedestrian access ways, stone walls providing privacy and permanence at the ground level with shifting gable upper forms to achieve individual views and sun. The overlapping of upper forms also provides interest and shelter to outdoor living areas below.
The site is zoned high density but even with this allowance meeting the five clients’ brief and scale requirements over the 800sqm site was tricky. “We worked very hard to ensure each of the upper storey gable forms did not overlook neighbours, afforded client privacy and achieved a scenic view from all houses,” explains Matt. “Various upper storey forms were reviewed and the design allowed us to slide these back and forth to mostly achieve compliance.”
Low rise but dense, the detached dwellings cluster around a narrow lane which is shared by vehicles and foot traffic. Although repetitive in plan, each dwelling has a unique character and situation. Private terraces attach to each dwelling and are linked by paths integrated into the landscape, and these encourage informal gatherings and free, safe play for children.
“This project illustrates the trend of development occurring in the areas surrounding Queenstown centre with towering high-rise hotels on one side, backpackers next door and original homes of local neighbours.”
The site is elevated with views to Cecil Peak and the Lake, Gondola Hill to the north and the Remarkables towards the east.
“The clients all reside generally in Auckland and have a strong affinity for what is often recognised as the southern lakes vernacular - schist cladding with heavy mortar, simple gabled roof forms and weathered timber claddings,” says Matt. “In keeping with the idea of a family of forms on the site we were keen to have each house relate to each other but be individually different. Each house has a different shade of cedar oil and metal cladding colour ranging from blacks, to browns to greys or silvers. The houses are a traditional timber clad form on a concrete floor slab.”
“The whole family are particularly thrilled with the result and so are we.”
Customer: Cooks Brothers
Architect: C Nott Architects Ltd
Location: Queenstown township
Product: Firth Standard Structural concrete and 13mm Amisfield aggregate exposed driveway