We hear regularly that Aotearoa New Zealand is within the grips of a housing disaster, with under-supply, unaffordability, overcrowding and lowering charges of home-ownership. Chilly and damp interiors are contributing to poor well being whereas, on the far finish of that spectrum, hundreds of leaky properties have been so soggy and rotten that they’ve been both considerably rebuilt or demolished and changed. The array of housing issues is impacting upon Māori and Pacific individuals disproportionately.
Quite a few commentators name for extra land to be freed up for the development of extra homes. That is problematic as a result of growth past present city limits has a number of detrimental results: the lack of productive agricultural land; the expense of latest infrastructure; and an lack of ability for authorities to offer satisfactory public transport to extra low-density areas, essentially that means elevated reliance on automobiles and all the issues that they entail — site visitors congestion, fossil gas use and air pollution.
The choice is to deal with the densification and intensification of present built-up areas. This will embrace row or terrace housing, but it surely actually means extra house buildings. Blocks of flats. Buildings with the next occupant density than homes.
New Zealand has been constructing purpose-built house buildings for the reason that 1910s. Thus, residences are a part of our housing tradition; they aren’t anomalous to it. Within the early many years, residences had been celebrated for his or her “fashionable conveniences” and stylish, and for the choice they supplied to a home within the suburbs or a spot in a boarding institution. Lots of the early examples have been heritage listed. The buildings obtained greater and taller through the years, complemented from the Seventies by medium-density townhouses and, from the Nineteen Nineties, by the adaptive reuse of redundant previous industrial, business and warehousing buildings for house residing.
There are a number of advantages in higher-density residing. The buildings are typically nearer to business centres and enterprise districts, enlivening city areas, capitalising on present infrastructure and guaranteeing larger proximity between dwelling and work in addition to higher entry to public transport, and liberating up the time it takes to take care of a home and backyard.
Over the past 30 or so years, leaky constructing issues and low-cost rabbit-hutch residences geared toward worldwide college students have tarnished the fame of our high- and even medium-density housing inventory. In his 2019 guide, Rottenomics, Peter Dyer concluded that significantly fewer leaky buildings have been constructed since 2005. John Grey and Roger Levie insist that the issues are nonetheless with us, though, within the second season of their collection, A Residing Hell: Condo Disasters (2021), they didn’t at all times present development dates.
No matter their assertions, there are nonetheless loads of good house buildings — each effectively designed and effectively constructed. A well-designed house can have all of the sophistication of a well-designed home. With thoughtfully designed widespread areas, good planning and detailing, satisfactory sound insulation and a focus to solar, air flow and views, residences could be terrific locations to dwell. When they’re, house residing turns into a life-style selection reasonably than a consequence of a restricted revenue. And, when house residing is chosen by the rich, it turns into aspirational and, in flip, normalised throughout different sectors of society.
The nice New Zealand house buildings from latest years show a spread of themes and approaches. Along with city densification and regeneration, these embrace a rise in mixed-use buildings and sustainable design practices and a broader vary of procurement and possession fashions. Our subsequent Itinerary, within the November/December concern of Structure NZ, explores the increasing vary of growth fashions, from modifications in social housing to cohousing, build-to-rent and papakāinga. It’s extra housing that New Zealand wants, no more homes per se.
THE ITINERARY
1. 1985–1986, Westwater
10–12 Shelly Seashore Highway, St Mary’s Bay, Auckland Glossop Chan Partnership
Darcy Glossop’s Auckland house buildings of the Nineteen Eighties epitomise the decadence of the years simply previous to the 1987 sharemarket crash. Kingsview in Remuera, Shangri La in Herne Bay and Shangri La’s near-neighbour Westwater (pictured) had been, and nonetheless are, luxurious buildings. They capitalised on Auckland Metropolis Council’s allowance for taller house buildings to be constructed on the ridges of Kohimarama, Remuera, Parnell and Herne Bay. All three of those buildings have round footprints and just one house per flooring, that means 360-degree views and all-day solar. Refer Kaleidoscope ‘Auckland Excessive-rises’, 1986.
2. 1991–1992, Axis
91 St Georges Bay Highway, Parnell, Auckland Patterson Co-Companions
With the ’87 sharemarket crash, the constructing business went quiet, not recovering till the early Nineteen Nineties. A brand new phenomenon was instantly obvious: the adaptive reuse of commercial, business and warehousing buildings in central metropolis areas as residences. Among the many first was Andrew Patterson’s mixed-use Axis in Chilwell & Trevithick’s previous Nestlé Manufacturing facility (1925–1926). It retains a lot of the previous constructing cloth and introduces new parts which might be simply identifiable as such, together with metal signage, gates, bridges, balconies and staircases. See Structure NZ July/Aug 1993 and Glory Glory 1993.
3. 1999, St Mary’s Residences
868 Colombo Road, Christchurch Peter Beaven, Architect
The wave of adaptive reuse tasks was adopted by extra purpose-built house buildings near, or in, metropolis centres. Peter Beaven had designed a number of much-admired Seventies’ townhouse schemes, together with Christchurch’s Tonbridge Mews. St Mary’s Residences got here later in his profession and show his curiosity in contextual structure, with a layering of historic references. The complicated includes 70 items in blocks of as much as 4 storeys, organized round two quadrangular courtyards. It’s tucked behind a fair-faced brick wall and retains the pitched roofs and uncovered concrete block of Christchurch’s famend brutalism.
4. 1997–1999, Metropolis Residences
1 Courthouse Lane, Auckland Otto Taskovich with Peddle Thorp and Aitken
Among the many most bold of the purpose-built house tasks of the mid-to-late Nineteen Nineties, the Metropolis has 368 residences. When first accomplished, it was one in every of Auckland’s tallest buildings. The façade of John Campbell and Claude Paton’s former Magistrates’ Court docket (1910–1913) supplies a formidable entry. References to Nineteen Twenties’ and Thirties’ New York skyscrapers could be learn into the design of the house tower and, intentional or not, the identify conjures up pictures of Fritz Lang’s futuristic 1927 film, an adaptation of a 1925 novel. See Structure NZ Sept/Oct 2001.
5. 1998–2000, Level Residences
121 Customs Road West, Viaduct Basin, Auckland Moller Architects
Staff New Zealand’s success within the 1995 America’s Cup earned internet hosting rights for the following one, stimulating the redevelopment of enormous chunks of former Ports of Auckland land. Services accomplished for the 2000 regatta included the Viaduct Basin’s ring of eating places, places of work and 380 residences in 4 buildings, together with the Level Residences. The Viaduct Level Residences, additionally by Moller Architects, had been accomplished in time for the second Cup regatta in 2003. These waterfront residences had been constantly excessive spec, presenting a glamorous way of life and incomes a flurry of structure awards. See Structure NZ Jan/Feb 2001.
6. 2000–2001, Wakefield Residences
282 Wakefield Road, Wellington Structure Workshop
Adaptive reuse tasks with residences in rooftop additions are thickest on the bottom in Wellington. The Wakefield Residences are among the many most profitable of those. Three explicitly up to date residences sit on prime of a 1909 heritage constructing, with vertical continuities between previous and new. See Structure NZ Jan/Feb 2002. The boldest of the rooftop house additions is the ocean-liner-like block that hovers above Chews Lane between Willis and Victoria Streets (2004–2009). Chews Lane Precinct earned an NZIA Native Award (city design) for Athfield Architects in 2009.
7. 2005, Trinity Residences
429–431 Parnell Highway, Parnell, Auckland Architectus
Constructed throughout the street from Holy Trinity Cathedral and the relocated St Mary’s, this mission triggered concern when first mooted due to its scale and up to date aesthetic in an historic context. However Trinity quickly grew to become an Auckland favorite and earned an NZIA Nationwide Award in 2007 and Supreme Award in 2008. It has an L-shaped footprint wrapping round two sides of a non-public swimming pool. The inexperienced glass fins on the 2 avenue façades (north and east) belie the truth that it’s a concrete constructing with excessive thermal mass. Timber shutters on the west present distinction and display screen the solar.
8. 2001–2006, Beaumont Quarter
Beaumont Road, Freemans Bay, Auckland Studio Pacific Structure with others
The Beaumont Quarter is a lauded brownfield growth, constructed on former Auckland Fuel Firm land. Making certain selection, Studio Pacific Structure’s grasp plan retained quite a few previous buildings and three practices designed the blocks comprising 256 housing items: Studio Pacific Structure, S333 (Amsterdam) and Engelen Moore (Sydney). The mission earned an NZIA New Zealand Structure Award City Design in 2010. The jury emphasised the scheme’s public and group amenities: streets and pathways; small outside squares recalling European precedents; and the retention of heritage buildings.
9. 2007–2014, Clyde Quay Wharf Residences
Clyde Quay Wharf, Wellington Athfield Architects
Clyde Quay Wharf is mixed-use and a daring landmark, realised by the triumvirate of Willis Bond, Athfield Architects and LT McGuinness. It was constructed on an historic wharf (1907–1910) that tasks out into the harbour and it considerably changed the town’s previous Abroad Passenger Terminal (Morton Calder Fowler and Types; 1962–1964). The alternative constructing took its lead from the terminal in kind and proportion, and reused a few of its parts, notably the spire. The development problem included basement carparking underneath the previous wharf. The mission earned an NZIA Native Award in 2015.
10. 2015–2017, SKHY
44 Khyber Cross Highway, Grafton, Auckland Cheshire Architects
SKHY, named for its location close to the nook of Symonds Road and Khyber Cross Highway, is a more moderen instance of the now well-established mannequin of adaptive reuse of a redundant workplace tower for blended use, predominantly housing. Notable is the tower’s Seventies’ concrete body, revealed and celebrated each inside and outside. Pip Cheshire likes to mix “the uncooked and the cooked” and, right here, the concrete brings the specified rawness. Stage 2, comprising medium-rise, mixed-use wings alongside the tower, was accomplished in 2019 and the mission earned an NZIA Native Award (multi-housing) in 2020.
11. 2015–2018, Wynyard Central
Daldy Road, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland Architectus
Wynyard Central operates on a grand scale in a former marine and fishing district, with 113 residential items of various sizes and kinds to accommodate a spread of occupants in blocks referred to as residences (an 11-storey part), pavilions (a five-storey constructing) and townhouses (a three-storey part). It has inexperienced roof planting and earned 7 and eight Homestar certification for sustainability and vitality effectivity. The inclusion of cafés and outlets at ground-floor degree can be vital. The mixed-use method supplies amenity for residents and contributes to avenue life. See Structure NZ Nov/Dec 2019.
12. 2016–current, Vinegar Lane
Ponsonby, Auckland A number of, together with Isthmus Group
This website, previously used for the manufacturing of yeast merchandise, stood empty for a number of years after its preliminary builders went into receivership. A brand new grasp plan by Isthmus included a grocery store and varied different makes use of, realised incrementally from 2016. Isthmus refers to Vinegar Lane as “fine-grained urbanism”, with its many small heaps supposed to be extra in line with the character and grain of the historic suburb than a significant new constructing would have been. The websites are freehold, with a number of homeowners, architects and development firms contributing underneath the umbrella of Isthmus’ design handbook.
13. 2019–2022, Worcester Terraces
Worcester Road, Christchurch Sheppard & Rout
The medium-density redevelopment of inner-city areas has been a key a part of Christchurch’s earthquake rebuild, together with the 7.7-hectare East Body mission (now One Central). Primarily developed by Fletcher Residing, it was master-planned by Architectus and DKO Structure, with 900 properties and far greenspace. Of the buildings accomplished thus far, Architectus’ Bedford Residences and Terraces and Sheppard & Rout’s Worcester Terraces have earned NZIA New Zealand Awards (2021 and 2023 respectively). As at Vinegar Lane, particular person dwellings are slim, creating the impact of fine-grain, principally to 2 and three storeys.
14. 2021–2024, The Greenhouse
20 Williamson Avenue, Gray Lynn, Auckland Ockham Residential
Ockham is one in every of a brand new breed of builders dedicated to constructing good high quality medium- and high-density housing at extra inexpensive costs. The corporate goals to construct near public transport routes and makes use of high quality supplies and good detailing to minimise future upkeep prices. Co-founder Mark Todd describes The Greenhouse as Ockham’s greatest but. It has 93 residences of various sizes and is notable for its green-glazed brick cladding, chosen to eradicate the necessity for repainting whereas additionally making a vivid and memorable picture, in flip celebrated within the identify.
OTHER ADDRESSES
1914–1915, Center Courtville9 Parliament Road, AucklandA. Sinclair O’ConnorNew Zealand’s oldest extant block of purpose-built, self-contained residences.
1985–1989, Oriental Bay Residences 226 Oriental Parade, Wellington Athfield Architects One of many nation’s most overtly postmodern house buildings.
2003–2005, Lighter Quay 75–83 Halsey Road, Auckland Consists of North by Studio Pacific Structure in affiliation with Peddle Thorp Architects (2003), and Stratis by Patterson Associates (2003–2005).
2008, Thackeray Road Residences 30 Thackeray Road, Hamilton Mercer & Mercer Architects Winner of an NZIA Nationwide Award (a number of housing) in 2009.
2018, Daisy 11 Akepiro Road, Mount Eden, Auckland Ockham ResidentialThe first Auckland house constructing to attain a ten Homestar ranking.
2015–2018, 132 Halsey 132 Halsey Road, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland Athfield Architects
2020–2021, 30 Madden 30 Madden Road, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland Studio Pacific Structure
SOURCES
Documenting the extent of New Zealand’s housing issues, and available on-line, is Alan Johnson, Philippa Howden-Chapman and Shamubeel Eaqub’s A Stocktake of New Zealand’s Housing (Wellington: Ministry of Enterprise, Innovation and Employment, 2018). The total reference to Peter Dyer’s guide is Rottenomics: The Story of New Zealand’s Leaky Constructing Catastrophe (Auckland: David Bateman, 2019). There isn’t any revealed historical past of New Zealand house buildings thus far however Catherine Foster’s Condo Residing New Zealand (Auckland: Penguin, 2017) discusses 20 schemes, principally from the expertise of architects, homeowners and occupiers. There’s loads of steering on the best way to do density effectively — within the North Shore Metropolis Council’s Good Options Information for Residences of 2007, for instance, and Man Marriage’s books, Trendy Condo Design (London and New York: Routledge, 2022) and Medium: A Technical Design Information for Creating Higher Medium Density Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand (Auckland: EBOSS, 2022), additionally out there on-line.
The Itinerary collection is supported by Dulux Colors of New Zealand. Dulux Color Specialist Davina Harper has chosen a Colors of New Zealand palette primarily based on this itinerary. See the total vary and order color samples right here.