1,173 sq. ft.
Auckland, New Zealand
DORRINGTON ATCHESON ARCHITECTS
Photos © Emma-Jane Hetherington
Design team: Tim Dorrington, architect and Marie-Claire Henderson, project architect
www.daa.co.nz
- CONVERT A WAREHOUSE FORMERLY USED TO STORE PAINTINGS INTO A HOME FOR THE OWNER AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS
- FIT A TIGHTLY PLANNED PROGRAM INTO THE SPACE AVAILABLE
- GAIN NATURAL LIGHTING FROM WINDOWS ON TWO WALLS INTO THE CORE OF THE APARTMENT
- TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE HIGH CEILING TO INSERT A NEW STRUCTURE THAT EXPANDS THE USABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE APARTMENT
DORRINGTON ATCHESON ARCHITECTS TRANSFORMED A FORMER PAINTING STORAGE SPACE IN A HERITAGE BUILDING INTO A HOME FOR A FAMILY MOVING FROM A SUBURBAN TO AN URBAN LOCATION.
“This apartment occupies the second floor of the Endeans Building, a prominent edifice on Auckland’s waterfront, built in the early twentieth century. It was once used to store paintings from a nearby gallery. In converting the space into a home for the owner and her two daughters, we had to comply with the requirements of the Auckland City Council and liaise with the Historic Places Trust.
“The Endeans was the first Auckland example of a multi-story building that used a steel-reinforced concrete system of construction. It was converted to a mixed-use residential and commercial property in 1993 and enjoys an urban aspect with views of the Britomart Transport Centre.
“There was no opportunity to alter the dimensions of the envelope, so the challenges were to fit a tightly planned program into the footprint and to gain enough light into the core of the apartment from windows on two sides. Positive attributes were its high ceilings and a selection of industrial materials. Together, they provide the apartment with a sense of loftiness.
“We designed a contemporary insertion clad in black steel, which was slotted into the empty volume to act as bedrooms for the children.
“The owners, who moved from a typical suburban home, are enjoying their city-centered outlook and a new way of living.”
New mezzanine plan
New floor plan
A. |
Entry hall |
B. |
Bathroom |
C. |
Kitchen |
D. |
Dining area |
E. |
Living area |
F. |
Master bedroom |
G. |
Bedroom |
H. |
Master bathroom |
I. |
Bedroom |
J. |
Open to below |
An overall black-and-white scheme ties in features of the Edwardian original style and the contemporary industrial look. Textural contrast is captured in the interior palette: roughness in the concrete floors and columns; smoothness in the clear powder-coated steel.
High clerestory windows allow light to enter the insertion and vertical steel-bladed curtain walls can be opened for accessibility to the space. The kitchen is backed by a similar spine of steel that shields the main bathroom behind.
One room was built as a mezzanine so that an en suite for the master bedroom could slot beneath it.
The double-height cube, at only six-and-a-half feet wide, was divided into two—a room for each girl—then furnished with built-in beds and desks.
Credits
Architect: Dorrington Atcheson Architects
www.daa.co.nz
Appliances and Materials
Appliances: Fisher & Paykel
Doors: Reclaimed old stable doors to main bedroom from Mantells Mt Eden
Floors: Concrete, recycled and stained matai (timber) in the kitchen, and tiles in the bathroom and en suite
Furniture and fixtures: French wine funnel down lights over the dining table by Flotsam and Jetsam; sofa by Forma; mirror in the living room by Acland Holdings; red-top side table by Kartell; red cubes from ECC
Kitchen backsplash: Antique mirrors by Eric Knoben
Kitchen cabinetry: 0.6 mm steel (clear powder-coated)
Kitchen countertop: Glass-reinforced concrete
Kitchen faucet: “ Livello” by KWC
Kitchen sink: Contemporary medium bowl by Valoré
Walls: Paint and clear powder-coated black steel