Trends New Zealand NZ New Home Trends Vol. 30/10 | Page 12

Above: A timber veneer galley
kitchen sits at the heart of the
open-plan living area. LED lighting
illuminates the toekick so the
cabinetry appears to float. There is
also a large scullery with separate
facilities.
Facing page: The kitchen includes a
custom-designed rangehood clad in
timber veneer. A suspended cedar
ceiling and wall panels define the
key circulation areas and provide
acoustic insulation.

10

Exposed locations come with great views, but
they can be compromised by strong winds – it’s
as though you can’t have one without the other.
The architect of this new house in Wanaka
came up with a tried-and-true solution – he
designed a courtyard house with high schist
walls that provide sheltered outdoor living
areas. But at the same time, he created huge
expanse s of glass to maximise the great lake
and mountain views to the north – and added a
terrace on this side of the house.
Architect Hamish Wixon of McCoy and
Wixon Architects says the views and the

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need for shelter were the key influences
for the design. So, too, was the need for a highly
contemporary home, which was requested by
owners Ross and Bev Middlemass – Ross owns
Stewart Construction, which built the house.
With this in mind, the house was conceived
with three wings – a garage wing, another wing
for guests and one for the owners. One courtyard
links two of these wings and another accommodates the main alfresco area and a pool.
The sense of enclosure is further enhanced
by mono-pitched roofs that soar upwards, then
turn and wrap down the front of each wing.