Let there be light
Good designers know how to manipulate space but, like an accomplished photographer, they should also understand how to compose with light and shadow Le Corbusier once said: “The history of architecture is the history of the struggle for light.” While new materials, advanced technologies and, let’s face it, living in a country with wonderful wide […]
Shadow Boxing
The house that this young family built echoes the bach that once stood on this North Shore land Leah Goddard’s daily walk during lockdown was both a delight and a frustration. One the one hand, it felt like freedom to temporarily vacate the compact 1950s home Leah, her husband Chris and their two children, Evelyn […]
Design Bites September
A magical mosaic on our doorstep, a pandemic prism on recycling, and a clear-eyed lens on the world. What’s got us travelling (we hope): It’s not often we get excited about the opening of a building in New Zealand, but we’re kinda keen to experience the Hundertwasser Art Centre which promises to be as goofy, […]
Do we really need to rip up our house building textbook?
OPINION: In the first century AD, the author, engineer and architect Marcus Vitruvius’ multi-volume book de Architectura (On Architecture)covered such diverse topics as urban design, how to build aqueducts, and optimising your sundial. https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/latest/300404048/do-we-really-need-to-rip-up-our-house-building-textbook#comments Showing remarkable prescience, he makes a point of explaining how to build walls with a cavity to prevent buildings from leaking or growing mould. […]
Material Madness (and how we’re dealing with it)
You may have read in the news that a) the building industry is going gangbusters and b) we’re hamstrung by supply issues. Both are true. Here, three of the original founders of Box™ share their thoughts about what that means for business in the new normal. Dan Heyworth : Director, New Projects After nearly 12 […]
It’s all about the money
It may seem gauche to launch into talking about money from the get-go but, when you’re considering who will design and build what is probably the biggest investment of your life, cost is always front of mind so it’s bound to come up sooner or later. We prefer sooner. Really we do. And when the […]
The lowdown on construction drawdowns
Building a home is an exciting challenge, and financing it doesn’t have to be daunting. Together with Kiwibank, we’ve compiled this no-jargon beginner’s guide to construction loans. For many people, building their own home is at the top of their wish-list. They dream of a place that will express their style and embrace their lifestyle. […]
8 Ways to Get Outdoor Happy
Summer 2022 is on the hazy horizon so we’re looking back at outdoor spaces that put the accent on alfresco If you’re building a two-storey home, which is often the case on today’s smaller sites, it makes sense to consider a cantilever. This overhang not only looks the bomb, but oriented correctly, becomes a sunshade […]
Design Bites August
Cool ways to be more planet-friendly What got us fired up: It’s hard not to feel weighed down, if not a little depressed, at the findings of the recent IPCC report. The scientists’ verdict that climate change is rapid, widespread and intensifying has sobering ramifications for us all. And it’s not just cows we need […]
A Double Dose of Design
The densification of Auckland encouraged by the Unitary Plan comes laced with both challenge and opportunity. The best pathway through the complexities of fitting more homes into a suburban context is good design. This property in the seaside suburb of St Heliers east of the city was typical of its era – an 804-square-metre site […]
