Beach house reno wins big for making it smaller
A Papamoa beach house that underwent a stunning transformation inside and out under a Hamilton architect’s guidance has clinched an award for a renovation that saw the house get smaller, not bigger.
But the reduction in size has made the beachfront abode a much more harmonious place for the owners to spend time together, says the architect behind it.
Dubbed He Iti Ake, the Bay of Plenty renovation won the Housing - Alterations and Additions category at this year’s Waikato/ Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards. It was designed by Hamilton-based architects Architecture Bureau, with owner Evan Mayo telling the Times it’s always great to be recognised by peers for your work, especially on a project like He Iti Ake.
“For a project which is of a more humble nature, that’s quite a pleasure to get something. The big, big shiny flashy stuff is really easy but when you have to work a bit harder with a bit less money, it's more of a challenge.”
The five-bedroom house, built in the early seventies and used as a holiday home by the current owners, offers 180 views the dunes and beach, Mt Maunganui and once sat on a much larger site that had since been subdivided.
But that subdivision meant access was quite tight, says Mayo, and it wasn’t very practical for the ocean-loving owners and their boat.
“It just didn't really work for them... and the house is quite old and it was clad with asbestos, which needed to come off. The roof was rusty so it just needed a whole lot of maintenance at the same time.”
In addition to the tight squeeze, the interior of the house had been built in such a way that parts of the home were disconnected from the outside and its expansive view. “All of the living was upstairs, which makes sense with the views... but [the] kitchen was deep in the plan so it wasn't close to the deck or the views.
“The main bedroom was quite close to the views, but right in front of the deck so anyone that visited would see right into the main bedroom so it was an issue of connection of privacy.
“The physical deck was actually very small, wasn't practical and didn't work.”
The owners wanted to improve the accessibility of the site, both for people and vehicles, and make the main bedroom more private. They also wanted the exterior of the existing house to remain “understated and humble”.
A decision was made to reduce the size of the house, getting rid of a rarely used lounge on the ground floor. The upstairs living area was rearranged to bring the kitchen closer to the deck, which was extended to create an more usable outdoor living area.
The house was able to maintain its five bedrooms, and a new carport was built to provide privacy and also additional covered rparking for the family boat.
Judges praised the work of Archiecture Bureau for the way they had “cleverly unlocked opportunities to transform an old holiday home into a cohesive, wellplanned modern residence”.
“Improved circulation, skylights and extended living spaces combine to create a comfortable and uplifting environment.
“Through discernible reduction in the built form, deft planning and unlocking the site’s existing qualities, the architect has vastly improved the quality of the building.” The renovation wasn’t without its challenges as the project took place during the Covid-19 pandemic but Mayo says builder Jared Coombes, of JC Builders, did a really great job managing the renovations and keeping things on track despite the circumstances.
“We’ve worked with him on a number of projects and that it is quite good having a relationship that you can build on previous experience.”