Innholdsfortegnelse for December - January 2025/2026 i Home New Zealand

IN THE LEAFY Melbourne suburb of Fairfield, a pair of neighbouring houses explores new possibilities for suburban densification. A collaboration between Ben Callery Architects and BuildHer Collective, the North House and South House form a thought-provoking duo — complementary yet distinct, they are united by an exploratory ambition. The North House, pictured here, is defined by a thoughtful play of volumes and a warm, calming palette of natural materials. Textural surfaces and organic interior forms create an atmosphere that is at once grounded and refined — a home with a strong identity that balances sophistication with a subtle edge. From the outset, sustainability informed every decision. The design achieves a 7-star energy rating through passive solar orientation, crossventilation, deep eaves, and window shrouds. The home is fully electric, powered by…

BUILT IN 1927, this transitional villa has an elegance that was emphasised by small interventions that included the removal of the ‘choc-chip’ brickwork that footed posts at the entry, a ‘tickling’ of the portico, and the repainting of the weatherboards in palest grey. These changes harmonised with the clients' wish for a calm, relaxing environment; a light touch that was thoughtful and considered. The owners, who have lived here for 23 years, had quite a while to ruminate. “We bought just before we got married, so had a long time to marinate in the house and see what works,” says Leigh Richardson. BUILT IN 1927, this transitional villa has an elegance that was emphasised by small interventions that included the removal of the ‘choc-chip’ brickwork that footed posts at the…

IN RENOVATING THIS villa in Freemans Bay, Auckland, architect Natasha Markham has unlocked the potential of its backyard by shifting the house levels to take advantage of the contours, views, and sun. “The original house had a neighbourhood outlook and a peek of the Waitematā Harbour,” says Natasha, director of architectural practice MAUD. “A split-level extension meant we could build up to access a better view and build down to link living spaces with the garden.” Working within planning rules, she has shaped a modern extension to a heritage villa, increasing the quality of living and the amount of usable space — both indoors and out. By gently reshaping the land, opening the house to the garden, and shifting from old to new, she has reinvigorated this family home. The…

FOR THIS PROJECT, the story began nearby. John's clients were initially considering a site within the Te Arai development, but the idea of living just beyond the gates — connected yet apart — held greater appeal. A vast site on a neighbouring ridge caught their attention. From its elevated position, the land appears to unfurl in every direction: rolling pastures, the shimmer of ocean, the Hen and Chickens Islands hovering faintly on the horizon. “When they first bought the site, it was a paddock,” John recalls. “There was a sense of spaciousness, which was quite luxurious. There are neighbours, but you don't see them.” It was that vastness — the wide view and the generosity of the land — that became the foundation for John's design response. The brief was…

THE RESULT IS a bespoke collection — a chair, coffee table, and tray — that translates the Avant's quiet athleticism into furniture defined by craftsmanship and restraint. “What really strikes me about the A6 Avant e-tron is the balance it strikes between presence and subtlety. It's a beautifully sculpted vehicle, sleek and athletic, but also understated in the way it carries itself. My aim was to capture that same sense of refinement and intelligence in the pieces I designed for this partnership,” Tim says. With a striking silhouette, the A6 Avant e-tron introduces a new era of progressive luxury for Audi. Its design achieves best-in-class aerodynamics, delivering greater efficiency and an electric driving range of up to 650km, redefining what is possible for a premium electric vehicle. “Audi has always…

DESIGNED BY NOVAK+MIDDLETON, the home marks the latest iteration in a lineage that spans eight decades of the family's history on Kawau Island. It began in 1946 when the client's grandfather constructed the family's first house — a modest creosoted bach that was built in Ōrākei, disassembled, transported from Auckland by coastal scow, and reassembled on the island. It was ahead of its time; an original prefabricated dwelling. That original structure still stands, its spirit woven through a second beach house, and, now, through this modern retreat. The owners' connection to the land is both personal and profound. They work closely with the island community, acting as custodians, alongside other residents, to protect the landscape from predators and invasive species. When a clifftop site became available, it offered the opportunity…

SO, WHEN CYCLONE Gabrielle sent a tree crashing through this 1973 Titirangi home, the damage was as symbolic as it was structural. “It needed to be completely redone,” recalls designer Kelly Gammie of Rarebirds Interiors, who, along with colleague Sean Monk, stepped in eight months after the storm. With insurance repairs unavoidable, the team treated the upheaval as a rare chance to restore, rather than reinvent, the home's original 1970s character — in a respectful manner rather than with any hint of irony for a decade that has suffered endless clichés about its peculiar sense of style. A previous owner had “homogenised” its architectural spirit, says Kelly, so the studio's mission became clear: bring back the warmth, craft, and tactile depth of the era, but with the coherence expected of…

WHEN A WELL-KNOWN and stylistically strong architecture firm takes over a portion of a site that has an existing structure with little or no architectural or heritage pedigree, there can often be a desire to pull the whole thing down and start afresh. A little rot here or a poorly conceived alteration there can become the perfect excuse for a full demolition in an attempt to ensure cohesion with whatever new building the architects were brought in to erect. However, when the structure is functional and sound, when the clients are emotionally attached to it, or when the budget doesn't quite stretch to a full tabula rasa, the existing building can pose an interesting design limitation. Another, more environmentally sound response in a scenario like this is to lightly modify…

DESIGNED IN A rare international collaboration between Haworth Tompkins in London and Athfield Architects in New Zealand, the new purpose-built facility anchors the revitalised cultural core of Ōtautahi. Both theatre and production house, the facility includes a 379-seat main playhouse, a 150-seat studio theatre, rehearsal and education spaces, workshops for set building and costume and props creation, and front-of-house amenities including a café and bar. Unlike many theatres, The Court remains a producing theatre, meaning that all creative elements from lighting and sound to sets and costumes are developed in-house, on-site. Inside, the building is conceived as a production house in full view. Public foyers, rehearsal rooms, and back-of-house workshops are physically and visually connected, giving audiences a sense of the creative process. This architectural gesture dissolves the boundary between…

A HOME FOR holidays; connected spaces, and breakaway accommodation — it was these ideas that formed the basis for a constellation of four separate buildings set within dense bush overlooking Man O' War Bay and Pakatoa Island. The main home reads like a precise line within the unruly native landscape. As architectural designer Chris Tate puts it: “A piece of machineedged symmetry; a floating form, still and precise in the bush.” The linear form expands to fill the clearing along a west to east axis. Shrouded in the bush on the hill behind, two guest houses, which can each sleep six, are intentionally different. Gabled forms echo the boat sheds dotted along the coastline. The fourth building houses a garage and a gym. Together, they form a collection of moments…