Selected Project
Hynds Apartment
This Apartment refurbishment was the opportunity for the client to improve the interior of a building, which sadly never lived up to it’s fantastic location and views. The brief was to combine the sense of simplicity and a minimalist use of materials and detail, not to overshadow the magnificent 360 degree view of Auckland city and harbour. After living in the apartment for over 10 years, this client initiated a project which was the culmination of many years of research abroad, visiting bastions of the Modern movement, such as Le Corbusier’s Apartment Block 24 N.C., and Villas La Roche-Jeanneret and Pierre Chareau’s House of Glass, to name a few, thus giving Xsite Architecture an insight into the appreciation of these experiences and an understanding on how to develop simple inter-connected spaces, using a controlled use of colour and honesty of materials. All these points have helped guide Xsite Architecture to producing this Interior. The design intentions were structured around the plastic forms, colour and minimalist ethos of a “Modernist New York Loft apartment”. Materials and detailing have been developed to create a simple and honest solution. A second underlying theme to this Interior concept, is the balance between the existing core structure and the “inserted” joinery within. There was an intention to solidify the Primary structure by planning the new walls with returns and recesses, creating proportioned, solid spaces, as if carved from solid concrete. The secondary elements, such as the bathroom cabinetry, Kitchen and storage units, have been placed into these thick walls and have been conceived to “float” or be inserted within these cubic forms, and are accented as such, with concealed lighting. In contrast with the slippery, shiny joinery materials, we have treated the walls with a matt, machine-ground, tinted cement based product from Interpast NZ. This techniques allowed us to eliminate skirtings and create a strong contrast between the primary wall and secondary, fixed furniture elements. This apartment has been successful through the strong commitment for quality and attention to detail by the Main Contractor Hyden and Rollett, and their understanding of the design concepts. For this client, the Interior has been a successful combination of an exciting brief, their ability to trust in the Architects decisions and their faith in the building contractor to take advantage of this unique location within Auckland City .
- Category
- Residential
- Location
