Red pine villa

This earthquake rebuild for a young couple set out to capture the essence of their beloved villa and reimagine it as a family friendly, high performing sanctuary. Retaining existing site elements with their aged patina inspired a broader wabi-sabi approach, influencing timber features and the interplay of light and shadow throughout – reminiscent of an aging villa.

Q What was the starting point for this project, and how did you approach reimagining a home that had been lost?

A (Gemma) We met with a couple of architects, but Mitchell’s calm and grounded vibe won us over.

During our first meeting we struggled to express what we hoped to achieve. This was our first build, it was an earthquake rebuild of a home we loved, and it was limited by budget. We also had many desires and needs! We thrashed this out during our design sessions together. Sometimes we questioned his ideas, sometimes we had to talk through them over and over. In the end we put our trust in him even when it pushed us out of our comfort zone. We still joke about how every decision we questioned turned out to be right.

(Mitchell) We spoke early on about the idea of a ‘forever home’, and how designing something that could adapt with their lives, as well as the needs of the site it sits on, helps to reduce a home’s carbon impact over its lifetime. Through careful planning, a resource consent allows for two additional townhouses at the rear and the new dwelling is transportable should the site demand another use in the future. That mindset encouraged Shane and Gemma to take care and time building elements themselves.

Q How did the process continue from there?

A (Gemma) Building a house is stressful but we always felt supported by Fabric and we were given the confidence to make decisions we may not have normally. There were small tweaks here and there, but the final house didn’t change much from the first design. Mitchell essentially nailed, in design and creativity, what we had struggled to express in words.

Q What did you love about your previous villa?

A (Gemma) Being originally from Ireland we weren’t used to villas so their beauty sucked us in. We fell in love with its character, compact size, and the beautiful entry porch – plus it had a slightly different look to others on the street.

Q How did that appreciation influence the concept for the new villa?

A (Mitchell) We aimed to capture that spirit, but in a contextually sensitive, efficient, and enduring way.

Working to stretch the budget creatively, the existing yet deteriorated garage, fences, and driveway offered a patina we could embrace. We explored shoin-zukuri and sukiya-zukuri which incorporate wabi-sabi aesthetics with the interplay of light and shadow – reminiscent of an aging villa. Sliding and opaque screens, alcoves, and crafted timber features further reflect this philosophy, infusing the new home with character.

Q And what about the site and surrounding area?

A (Mitchell) The home is elevated to accommodate the council-owned open drain that creates a flow path across the site to the street, which is embraced with an exposed subfloor. Ground drains were installed to channel roof water while also helping to dry out the land after heavy rainfall. To take full advantage of the ground drains, all spouting was removed to save on the build budget and ongoing maintenance requirements.

The home’s siting and roofline mimic the existing street fabric, with an asymmetrical cutout offering an interesting form, lightplay, and glimpses of the mature street trees.

Q And what materials and details help bring this to life?

A (Mitchell) High performing pine (PLT) is used in lieu of traditional rimu floors, is laid like a tatami mat, and stained light to hero recycled rimu features. Low-cost pine and pipe fittings form the island bench, built by Shane and I as a budget friendly solution. Vertical shiplap is a nod to the previous weatherboard home and surrounding area, while internally the rimu draws attention to key spatial features, including the soft curving wall in the entry that acts as a pivot into the heart of the home and the sliding screens that connect or divide the living spaces.

(Amy) The dark exterior is in contrast to the light interior to reinforce the feeling of a sanctuary within. Scoria (also on the neighboring villa) and zincalume connect the opposing palettes, as well as the continued use of timber. Colour is inspired by the mood and function of spaces, with alcoves and smaller rooms offering restrained areas for bolder choices that enhance the interplay of light.

Q Beyond future site adaptability, how has sustainability been considered – both in the design and in everyday living?

A (Mitchell) Building small, minimising material use, and retaining existing elements on site all contribute to low embodied carbon. Keeping what can be big ticket items like the garage, fences, driveway, and landscaping allowed funds to be redirected into higher quality construction and the extensive use of timber which contributes to both the performance and feel of the home. These decisions mean this home achieves 265.58 kgCO₂e/m² (34,526 kgCO₂e total) upfront embodied carbon and 531.6 kgCO₂e/m² (69,110.3 kgCO₂e total) whole of life carbon.

(Gemma) We are warm. We aren’t inhaling cold, damp air wafting through broken windows. We aren’t worried about our son’s health. We aren’t paying for unused space. We are conscious of what we bring into our home as we don’t have masses of space and want to live as ethically as we can, in line with how environmentally friendly our home is.

From the ADNZ judges:

“Embodying the principles of kaitiakitanga, Red Pine Villa offers more than environmental efficiency; it reflects a reverent relationship with land, resources, and community. Through its restrained footprint, the reuse of materials, and the enduring spatial adaptability, the project honours both ecological limits and the narratives of place. Its stewardship is expressed not only in timber and solar strategy, but in its resistance to excess, its sensitivity to the context, and its quiet assertion that architecture must serve as a long-term guardian of whenua and whanaū.”

Q How has your personal expertise influenced and impacted your home?

A (Shane) Being an electrician by trade and being in construction all my life I thoroughly enjoy getting my hands dirty at every opportunity. Myself, some friends and my father in law demolished the old villa together and we tried to salvage as much of the old house as possible. I wired most of the house with some help from friends. It was extra satisfying for me to see the design come to light (pun intended). In saying that, one of the most enjoyable aspects was building our kitchen island with Mitchell. I will admit he was the brains and I was the help, but it was such a collaborative and satisfying experience. Building a key part of our home with Mitchell was the icing on the cake.

(Mitchell) The kitchen island somewhat reflects the whole project – it is a humble yet highly crafted piece that took collaboration, attention to detail, and care to create.

Q What do you like most about your new home?

A (Gemma) This is so hard to nail down and express. It is how it feels, how it fits us perfectly for what we need, with no excess. Every room has a purpose, but equally their function can change with our needs or mood. Every space gets light with windows placed for best exposure, and yet every space feels private. The main deck is an extension of the living areas creating a wonderful flow. The sliders on the deck were surprisingly useful with keeping our young son safe, letting him play outside but in full view. The house is a calm space with pops of colour that make you smile. It’s also nice to know that we kept our carbon footprint as low as possible.

After a long day we are happy to go home to our sanctuary.