Neika House – JAWSARCHITECTS
Project summary
Originally designed by architect Fred Hudson in 1972, the Neika House was composed of four hexagonal pavilions, carefully placed on a bench in the foothills of Mount Wellington. The new owners use the house as a shack to escape on weekends or snowy days, but found it needed updating to create a restorative family place on the mountain. Two hexagons have been altered to better define, link and connect the residence to its spectacular east-sloping site. New timber screens in the kitchen and dining pavilion guide movement around a sculptural kitchen bench to the dining space, located on the prow of the ‘big view’. The lounge pavilion has two distinct zones; daybeds allow seating on the edge of the view, while the sunken lounge and freestanding fireplace create a place of retreat and the heart of the house. The third pavilion was retained as the sleeping area, with the fourth housing the bathroom and laundry / mud room. The plywood wall linings, timber flooring and doors were reused or matched to retain the informal character and sense of the era. The rough sawn external boards were repainted in charcoal to settle the house into the verdant surroundings.
Construction
Lawless Builders – builder
Consultants
Gandy and Roberts – structural consultant
Arthur Masters – energy assessment
Holdfast – building surveyor
Monaco Joinery and Design – joiner