Houzz Tour: A Love of Art and Design in Every Detail of This Home
Dubbed the 'cabinet of curiosities', this New Zealand house is a home for art, and art as a home
Rebecca Gross
25 June 2020
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design, and I study cultural history through the lens of architecture, design and visual culture. I have a Masters in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from Parsons The New School for Design, New York. My latest book is called "Ornament is not a crime: Contemporary Interiors with a postmodern twist."
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design,... More
Having lost their home in New Zealand’s 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the owners engaged architect Phil Redmond to design a new house on the same site. It needed to accommodate the clients’ large art collection and to both respect but challenge local architectural conventions. Dubbed the ‘cabinet of curiosities’, it is a home for art, and art as a home.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Size: 504 square metres
Architecture and design: PRau – Phil Redmond Architecture & Urbanism
Structural, mechanical and hydraulic engineers: TM Consultants
The client’s two-storey heritage villa was demolished after the Christchurch earthquakes. Their new house still embodies memories of the former home while providing plenty of space for their significant art collection. “Our new design had to be as good or better than the original house as the clients had a real attachment to their home,” says Redmond.
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Size: 504 square metres
Architecture and design: PRau – Phil Redmond Architecture & Urbanism
Structural, mechanical and hydraulic engineers: TM Consultants
The client’s two-storey heritage villa was demolished after the Christchurch earthquakes. Their new house still embodies memories of the former home while providing plenty of space for their significant art collection. “Our new design had to be as good or better than the original house as the clients had a real attachment to their home,” says Redmond.
A lofty double-height gallery space is in the centre of the house (along with the staircase), and accessed via the front door. Pavilions are to either side of the gallery – one with the kitchen, dining, living area and ‘homage room’, and the other with a formal living room, bedroom, laundry and bathroom.
There are three more bedrooms and ensuites upstairs.
Thinking of embarking on a new build? Find an architect near you on Houzz
Thinking of embarking on a new build? Find an architect near you on Houzz
The pavilions are clad in basalt aggregate (from Dunedin, New Zealand) that references Christchurch’s architectural past, as do the wide skirting boards around the base of the house. The upper storey is comprised of shimmering gold-hued boxes containing the bedrooms.
Redmond’s inspiration for the gold-toned cladded first-floor volume came from German architect Hans Scharoun’s building for the Berlin Philharmonic concert hall. It cantilevers over the deck, supported by tree-like columns that reference Japanese architect Kazuo Shinohara’s work.
Nordic Royal copper alloy cladding: Aurubis Finland
Redmond’s inspiration for the gold-toned cladded first-floor volume came from German architect Hans Scharoun’s building for the Berlin Philharmonic concert hall. It cantilevers over the deck, supported by tree-like columns that reference Japanese architect Kazuo Shinohara’s work.
Nordic Royal copper alloy cladding: Aurubis Finland
Redmond also looked to the work of modernist Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, particular his very fine detailing and the amount of attention he paid to minor features. Wanting to learn more about the designer, the client visited Venice and did a Scarpa tour. “The owner was immediately onboard,” says Redmond.
Elements of Scarpa can be seen in bespoke brass detailing and handles on the front door.
Elements of Scarpa can be seen in bespoke brass detailing and handles on the front door.
Scarpa can also be seen in the elaborately perforated metal screens at each end of the gallery. Beyond being decorative, these screens prevent direct light from affecting the artworks.
Redmond designed and tested the screens in his studio. “I hand-painted the shapes on foam board at full scale. I cut the shapes out of the boards and tested them in the studio to see what shading effect they produced. The result was then scanned and traced back into digital format and laid out at full scale to send to the laser cutters,” says Redmond.
The shapes reference elements of French artist Henri Matisse, modernist architect Le Corbusier and American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. There are also floor plans of buildings completed by Redmond’s studio, plus some dinosaurs and sharks thrown into the mix. These perforations create beautiful plays of light and shadow across the walls and the handmade terrazzo tile floors.
The shapes reference elements of French artist Henri Matisse, modernist architect Le Corbusier and American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. There are also floor plans of buildings completed by Redmond’s studio, plus some dinosaurs and sharks thrown into the mix. These perforations create beautiful plays of light and shadow across the walls and the handmade terrazzo tile floors.
The pre-cast concrete staircase with bluestone plinth base is also heavily inspired by Scarpa, modelled on the stair in the Olivetti showroom in Venice.
The geometry of the handrail also has a similar design language to New Zealand artist Michael Parekōwhai’s Prayer, a large black-steel sculpture, which rests against the wall. The sculpture didn’t fit in the old house and had been kept in storage, though it takes pride of place at the entrance of this house, with the gallery designed especially for its proportions.
The geometry of the handrail also has a similar design language to New Zealand artist Michael Parekōwhai’s Prayer, a large black-steel sculpture, which rests against the wall. The sculpture didn’t fit in the old house and had been kept in storage, though it takes pride of place at the entrance of this house, with the gallery designed especially for its proportions.
The bronze detailing of the handrail is best seen up close, and complements the artworks in the gallery, including Yvonne Todd’s Ernestina (2016) photograph.
The pavilion on the other side of the gallery is light and bright. It contains the dining area, kitchen, living room and ‘homage room’, all opening to a long concrete terrace and lush lawn.
The Corian benchtop cantilevers over the kitchen island to create a space to sit and stand around, and a European beech chopping block is integrated into the rear bench and topped with zinc inlay. The gold cladding of the upstairs volume can be seen above the dining table, and it reflects light to make the space even brighter.
Kitchen joinery: Boffi Kitchens; kitchen benchtops: Corian
The Corian benchtop cantilevers over the kitchen island to create a space to sit and stand around, and a European beech chopping block is integrated into the rear bench and topped with zinc inlay. The gold cladding of the upstairs volume can be seen above the dining table, and it reflects light to make the space even brighter.
Kitchen joinery: Boffi Kitchens; kitchen benchtops: Corian
A gabled roof and large skylights over the dining table create a light and airy space, and even evoke the sense of dining outdoors. Scarpa-inspired geometry and detailing is evident in the steel black frames around the windows, and large skirting boards are repeated inside and feature a brass trim along the upper edge.
The living room has a gabled ceiling, but lined with timber it offers a warmer, cosier space. Similarly, the timber flooring has warmth and texture.
Timber flooring: Mafi
Timber flooring: Mafi
At the end of the pavilion is the ‘homage room’ that pays tribute to the old house. It has a chandelier, doorknobs and letterbox numbers rescued from the client’s former home. “It is like a small archive,” says Redmond. “It’s dark and reflective in nature, with a sense of peace and stillness.”
It also provides an atmospheric environment for another of Todd’s photographs, Amateur Theatre (2016).
All rooms in this pavilion have glass doors that open to the terrace, and the cantilevered second storey provides a covered area outside the kitchen.
The master bedroom is contained in this box-like form. A deep window surround provides an eave, and the narrow balcony has a glass bannister so as not to obstruct the framed views.
Window sills are prominent, much like the skirting boards downstairs, and reference those in the owners’ old house. The bedrooms and bathrooms have soft and subdued palettes, offering a calming backdrop for the art, designer furniture, light and view.
Some of that furniture includes Harry Bertoia’s famous Bertoia Diamond Chair.
Some of that furniture includes Harry Bertoia’s famous Bertoia Diamond Chair.
It also includes the three-dimensionally patterned cabinet, Tout Va Bien, designed by Antoine Audiau and Manuel Warosz for BD Barcelona.
Floor and wall tiles: Mutina.
Floor and wall tiles: Mutina.
The powder room is another beautiful and emotive space with large-scale floral wallpaper by Ellie Cashman, and hand-made and fired floors tiles from Maximum.
There is beauty and artistry in every detail of this house. And when asked what he is most proud of, Redmond simply says, “The client’s love for the new home”.
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature of this home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Missed our last Houzz Tour? Catch up here with this UK Houzz Tour: A New London Home Decorated With Cosy Character
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature of this home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Missed our last Houzz Tour? Catch up here with this UK Houzz Tour: A New London Home Decorated With Cosy Character
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