Dulieu Residence | studio MWA

Sites like this are a dream. Quite often you have the feeling you are living away from the rest of the world being hugged by nature. The fantastic view total privacy site approach is from about 75 m above the site its proximity to the River are just some of details that make the site special. Being located just on the edge of the 100 year flood zone; it's a natural amphitheatre with bush surrounding hills in close proximity. From the start a decision was made to slightly elevate the site further. I suppose the final design building setting choice of materials textures and colours say more than I can express with words. The images do the talking for themselves. Together with the client a brief was developed but from the start it was obvious that a simple single story design using natural materials use as much as possible local resources engage local manufacturers and trades people quality orientation to capture sun to take advantage of passive solar energy heating rainwater and spring water collection environmentally responsible sewer treatment with a sustainable approach was ideal. A Black butterfly was definitely one of the initial ideas and even in execution looks like a beautiful creature. And the final house is easy to live in with indoor-outdoor flow low maintenance but the openness and simplicity are the main characteristics of this design. To create a residential project which has nearly 70% of exterior walls in glass is always very challenging in order to follow the standards and requirements but we achieved all that and even more. When the client’s start to call a newly completed Project HOME you know that you achieved something special. In this case after moving to their new house Dianne and Barry give to entire property and house “new name “ – PARATIHO which in Maori language means paradise. I suppose it says everything. The House has 3 double bedrooms with a studio. The Main Master bedroom has an ensuite and walk-in wardrobe. House includes 3 individual living areas and a triple garage. The two bathrooms and a separate visitor toilet like the ensuite have possible disabled access. The layout allows for separation between the formal living and dining area and separate family living and kitchen area. The third lounge is close to the visitor’s bedrooms giving opportunity for easy living for the extended family. All rooms have direct access outside in same level with possibility to use the glorious outdoor space from anywhere. Around house are extensive hardwood decking garden with surrounding native bush and few small lakes - pond areas with natural springs. Main Contactor/Project management: Barry Dulieu & Rhys Construction Ltd. Building structure: Reinforced concrete slab + steel + timber Structural steel work: Whakatiki Engineering Ltd. – Upper Hutt Stone masonry: Bosworth Stone Ltd. – Upper Hutt (Mr. Glen Bosworth & team) Aluminium Joinery: Westview Aluminium Ltd. – Upper Hutt Roof & wall metal cladding: T.W. Clark Roofing 202 Ltd. – Lower Hutt Joinery: Noble Kitchens – Upper Hutt (Mr. Hadrian Noble) Main material finishes: -reinforced concrete slab with polished concrete floor finish through entire residence -under floor hot water heating -solar panels for hot water -innovative sewer treatment under ESD principles -20 000 liters underground water tanks -kitchen bathroom laundry toilet cabinetry all in marine plywood finish -roofing and metal wall cladding is Colorsteel Dimondek 400 – 0.55 mm profile by Dimond – New Zealand -timber exterior wall cladding is rough sawn timber cedar weatherboard with dark brown oil stain -interior walls and ceilings generally completed in plasterboard with high quality spray paint finish -exterior aluminium joinery with double glazing (exterior glass panels laminated grey tinted glass with 12 mm air gap and low E gas and interior 6 mm clear glass). -exterior decking is hardwood Kwila boards 18x90 mm -eaves are Villaboard panels by James Hardie plastered and painted -stone masonry – schist walls generally 90 - 150 mm thick natural stone from Otago – New Zealand