Big Thinking About Small Houses Wins Architecture Award

MEDIA RELEASE: Embargoed until 8 November 2013

Big Thinking About Small Houses Wins Box Living an Architecture Award

Hot on the heels of celebrating the completion of their 100th house design, the team at boutique design-and-build practice, Box Living, has more good news to bring out the bubbly for. A house for a couple on a modest budget has just been recognised in the Small Project Architecture category of the 2013 Wellington Architecture Awards.

Although the dwelling, located in a Lower Hutt suburb, has a footprint of only 115 square metres, with 60-square metres of garage/storage underneath, its compact size is big on design ideas. The Awards jury commented that the house “provides evidence that cost effectiveness need not be predicated on the mundane.”

Dan Heyworth, CEO of Box Living, said the Auckland-based design-and-build company was thrilled with their first-ever Award from the New Zealand Institute of Architects. "Other housing companies may also guarantee costs and build time, but you don't see them being awarded for architecture!"

The Wellington house features the company’s modular post-and-beam structural elements which were readily adapted to a site that was not only petite, but came with the challenge of a storm-water drain that ran the length of the building platform.

Box Living architect Tim Dorrington turned this problem into an opportunity. He designed the house in two distinct forms: a living block surrounded by decks that seem to hover amidst the greenery; and a bedroom block raised a half storey which cleverly elevates it above the drain and provides storage and a garage below. Clad in low-cost polycarbonate sheet, at night, when the lights are turned on, this cube-like storage zone glows like a beacon providing enough outdoor illumination for family gatherings.

Homeowner Tineke Stewart says that while building their first home was a big undertaking, she and husband, Rob, found it much more rewarding than buying an existing house. “It’s designed with no wasted space so, while it’s small, it’s hugely functional; we both love living here.”

Heyworth says, “We're all about quality of design over quantity of space so this Award for Small Project Architecture is very important for us to be able to show that we can walk the talk.”

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