2026

To Keep you Home

Completed

Westmere | New House

Winner of the 2019 NZIA Auckland Housing Award for New House. This warm, moody new build in Westmere turns its back on the world, putting family firmly at its heart. Down a private driveway and hidden from the street, the house sits quietly on its section, revealing itself only once you arrive. A response to the 100-year-old Pohutukawa tree at the heart of the site, the L-shaped plan wraps around a grassy internal courtyard, creating a sense of being held in a private cocoon — sheltered, connected, and completely at ease.

Rich materials, layered throughout

Externally, black corrugated metal cladding wraps the L-shaped form, giving the home a quiet, textured presence. Beyond its aesthetic, the cladding earns its place through durability and a low-maintenance finish. Inside, the material language shifts to something richer and more sophisticated. Black panelled walls in the entry are juxtaposed with lighter, sunlit spaces beyond. Meanwhile, walnut acoustic ceiling and walnut cabinetry carry through the kitchen, dining, and living areas, with brass detailing adding warmth at key moments. Black granite benchtops complement the grain of the timberwork, and surprising pops of colour appear in hidden spaces — a reminder that a considered home can hold personality as well as calm.

A plan built around connection

The lofty kitchen is the lynchpin of the plan, connecting the two living areas and a covered outdoor dining deck that flows directly to the lawn. From here, you can watch children playing on the lawn or hold a conversation with friends in the lounge, without leaving the heart of the house. All rooms converse with each other. Upstairs, there are four bedrooms. In the children’s rooms, wallpapers reflect the personality of each child, while the adults’ spaces are more refined, so every room is considered as its own world within the whole.

A home that keeps you close

This Westmere new build earned wide recognition on completion, winning the 2019 NZIA Auckland Housing Award for New House, a 2019 Interior Awards Finalist placing for Residential Interiors, and a Highly Commended at the 2020 TIDA New Zealand Architect-Designed Kitchens, alongside features in Homestyle, Home New Zealand, and Urbis magazine. It is a home that makes you want to stay — a sanctuary that earns its name.

All projects

Next project