Glasshouse is the heart of design home
An architect’s own dream project bears fruit, writes Ben Tomsett
After years of globetrotting and designing buildings for others, Dunedin Hospital architect Tessa Kingsbury has finally popped the champagne on her own dream project in Dunedin.
Kingsbury’s repurposing of a disused 70-year-old Sunday School building in Anderson’s Bay into a pillshaped glasshouse home was documented on the latest season of Grand Designs NZ.
The budget for the build ballooned from $480,000 to $600,000, before settling somewhere under $1 million.
Following its grand unveiling to family and family last Saturday, Kingsbury is keen to open one end of the house to Airbnb guests, followed eventually by tours of the uniquely designed building.
After relocating to Dunedin to work on the new hospital’s design, Kingsbury decided to set about searching for a piece of land to construct her dream home.
“I had a night in Christchurch before I came down, and I was probably drinking watery red wine, and I started sketching my dream house . . . I sketched it on the back of a serviette like all kooky architects are famous for doing, and it had one bedroom at one end, a glass house in the middle, and a studio at the other end,” she said. Despite having a clear concept, Kingsbury was unable to find a block of land within her price range, until a friend brought her attention to the old St Michael’s Hall building for sale in Anderson’s Bay.
“The inspiration of my initial idea fitted perfectly,” she said.
“I never envisaged putting it in barrel shape . . . but the inspiration behind it was actually my nana’s glasshouse.”
The ends of the house are separated by a functional glasshouse, the roof constructed of part iron and part glass which curves down in the same barrel shape as the original building. Kingsbury’s personal wing is built on the former stage.
While some detractors have suggested the house will overheat, Kingsbury said the masterstroke in keeping it cool on hot days was a passageway from the underground basement through to the glasshouse.
“That brings all that cool air up into the glasshouse, but I try to keep it warm and keep it humid. It is one giant experiment, and I’m trying to grow some plants that would otherwise not thrive in Dunedin.”
Kingsbury worked to preserve many of the historical elements of the original building, including hand-sanding the wooden floors of the lower level to maintain scuffs and blemishes such as stiletto marks from when the hall was used for dance lessons.
The design incorporates obscure glass, inspired by family history, that provides privacy to certain areas, though Kingsbury was keen to maintain natural light throughout the home.
“It makes you feel like you’ve created something that’s playful and fun and connected to the environment. You can really get in touch with a circadian rhythm, which is where your body gets in tune with what time of day it is and what the weather’s doing.”
Looming over the glasshouse is a tree she’s named Rex, which by luck has played a crucial role in the design, providing shade and privacy to the residence.
“This place wouldn’t be what it is without Rex.”
Grand Designs NZ was involved from early in the project after a colleague Kingsbury had showed her sketch to suggested she contact the show.
“I was able to have great architectural conversations with [host Tom Webster] who really values architects and architecture, and I — for a chunk of it — had forgotten they were even doing an episode. “They were great, supportive.” Since completing the home, Kingsbury said she had spent every morning waking up in appreciation of the space.
“I love it. I love where I wake up, I love seeing Rex through the glass, I
‘Ask me on my deathbed and I’ll tell you how I went.’
Tessa Kingsbury
love seeing immediately as I open my eyes what kind of weather we’re having.
“There was one morning where it rained overnight, and when the sun was up it was looking like a crystal palace.”
“I absolutely fundamentally believe that if we design our houses for healthy living, it will have a positive impact on our wellbeing.
“Ask me on my deathbed and I’ll tell you how I went, but it’s worth having a go.”
“If you have the opportunity to design something that really embraces that connection to nature, you’d be a little bit bonkers not to.”