City House designed by Architex is positioned in an urban region in Auckland, New Zealand. It was created for a single professional who needed a house that would offer a respite from a busy life-style. From the exterior, the residence is really private and a single would in no way suspect the modern tranquility that lies within. The two story home maximizes the use of indoor-outside living by generating a courtyard oasis that offers an abundance of natural light and privacy.
The residence has a grand master bedroom suite which is situated above the open program kitchen, dining and living region to the rear of the residence. A stairwell off the dining area leads up to the master suite with a private lounging area and luxurious bath. The walls of the living spaces around the inner courtyard are in fact sliding glass panels that disappear as pocket doors to open the rooms to the outdoor living spaces. This creates a completely open indoor-outside living space. The balcony region along the second floor also has a glass barrier for security, but even this does not impede the visual flow of the space. The whole home seems to focus on the principal central courtyard. Though there are few outdoor spaces that could be utilized for a multitude of purposes. The property decor is modern day and minimalist with powerful geometric shapes and a fairly neutral palette of black, white, and other earth tones.
One of my favourite parts of the home is the kitchen. It is quite minimal with every little thing tucked away to generate a very clean streamlined appearance. The horizontal grain of the dark wood cabinets, perhaps bamboo, contrast beautifully with the lighter colored wood of the kitchen island. The marble countertops and backsplash also stand out against the dark wood tones. Even though a lot more hard to defend from stains, marble kitchen countertops are amazingly stunning.
Positioned across the courtyard from the major living location and master bedroom is the 3 vehicle garage, on the very first level, and a guest space which is located on the second level. The owner and architects have planned ahead given that perhaps the owner or future owners my have a distinct way of life. On this, the street side of the home, the guest room was made so that it could effortlessly be modified into two bedrooms with a shared bath and lounge.
The City House won the New Zealand Architecture Award in 2011 for Residential Architecture.
Project Information
Project Title | City House
Function | Residential Architecture
Architectual Design and style | Architex
Place | Auckland, New Zealand
Website Region | 4,305 sqft (400 m2)
Completed | 2011
Photography | © Simon Devitt
