Building Area: 343 sqm

The judges said: “A heavily guarded secret sits on the Tāmaki River, nestled at the edge of

the Tāhuna Tree Nature Reserve. This is a very gutsy, staunch response to the site, daring to

open out in one direction while completely closing off from another. Muscular concrete

panels provide an unflinching entry wall that in time will get hidden behind the planted

edge, while inside the angled plan offers a diagonal experience not expected from outside.

Careful timber louvres wrap over the external decks and into the dining room overlooking

the pool. The interplay between inside and out continues with external finishes flowing

inside, while internal viewpoints open outwards. A clever, sophisticated design”

Project Description:

Eman has designed the house for clients who sought a completely original dwelling that they could both contribute to creatively. A private home built in 2022 surrounded by views over Tahuna Torea Nature Reserve and Tamaki River and sharing three boundaries with the reserve, the site has a covenant that restricted the height of the development. These were the main parameters guiding the conceptual design and form generation of the new high-end two-storey modern residence.

Tahuna has simple, streamlined and modern masses, solid planes at the street side and a central entry emphasised by a continuous concrete wall and roof arrangement. The design is a complex concrete structure with a minimalist effect.

The upper level is an open plan with a flow of spaces around an internal garden that integrates nature from the outside to achieve continuity inside. The home contains a large open living area, pool, kitchen, dining, powder room and ensuite bedroom on the top level. It has one guest bedroom, office, and studio on the lower level (the latter two are available to be converted to bedrooms in future). All spaces have accessibility to the view from different perspectives. The very spacious structure allows expansive vistas of water and nature. Landscaping has played an essential role in merging the residence with the surrounding nature reserve and forming a smooth transition between the two levels, using stepped platforms that read as the building extending into nature.

Design features and creative solutions:

The brief, site controls, and conceptual design values have resulted in bold features and innovative solutions.

• Sustainability: The design sought natural ventilation and reduced heat loss by minimising Southern-side openings while maximising Northern-side openings. Natural lighting is realised through large openings and a skylight.

• Views: The Tamaki estuary surrounds the site, and the focus was on creating an unrestricted outlook that maximises the expansive feel.

• Nature: Integrating nature with architecture was paramount. The adjacent reserve was treated as a design entity, flowing simultaneously inside and outside, with the enclosed and internal gardens being central to the living and circulation areas.

• Covenant and site restrictions: The site constraints suggested one level from the natural ground; with minimal excavation, two levels resulted while concurrently achieving indoor/outdoor flow, privacy from the street and optimal access solutions.

• Spaces arrangement: Living spaces face North and views while services such as kitchen/bathrooms are located on the Southern/street side. The Southern-side architectural masses seamlessly hide all services in the main elevation.

• Human Experience & Privacy: The choice of building materials was affected by the modern style Eman and her clients sought. Not only did the building need privacy from the street, but it needed emotional warmth. This was achieved via solid planes with carefully positioned cut-outs and slots, these forms directing one to the front entry. Once inside the residence, a contrary feeling is experienced: the feeling of being guided to the entry by angles and vertical panels is replaced by wide-open horizons once inside.

ADNZ Sole Designer: Eman Yousef

Landscape Design (Soft Scape): Kirsten Sach, Kirsten Sach Landscape Design Ltd

Photography: Johan Koch

Interior Design: Bare Living Ltd, Sonya Anderson and owner Christine Hobbs