TOWNHOUSES DOABLE ON TRICKY SITE FEATURING RESIDENTIAL AND LIFESTYLE

Luke Pierson and his architects took on a tricky site, surrounded by period homes in Wellington’s Kelburn. This is what they built,

When design consultant and architecture lover Luke Pierson wanted to build townhouses in the heart of Wellington’s heritage area, he didn’t want to do a rushed job.

Instead, he wanted to create his ideal city-fringe home, a building that would stand the test of time and taste as well as the surrounding period homes in Kelburn.

To do so, he teamed up with Patchwork Architecture, the Wellington company that built his former-home, Pyramid Scheme, which won the Small House of the Year Award in 2016, and his brother’s home, a unique, just sold, ‘‘cliffhanger’’ house in Kilbirnie.

‘‘There’s a real, serious shortage of good-quality buildings in Wellington,’’ says Pierson. ‘‘When that site came up, it sat for a long time, because it was a really difficult site. And I just looked at it and thought that’s just got to be doable, it’s such a great spot.’’

It was doable, and the result is a pair of two-storey, two-bed homes that celebrate the surroundings, maximise an awkward build site, and offer modern, architecturally-designed dwellings that retain a sense of cosy domesticity.

Living in a rental property while plans for the home he’s building for himself are finalised, ideas of what home means are at the forefront of Pierson’s mind. It comes down to ‘‘hygge’’, the Scandinavian ideal of cosy conviviality that creates a sense of contentment.

‘‘I only want to build stuff that I’d live in myself. I want to live there. I have too many children, unfortunately. Otherwise, I would.’’

Two parts alpine lodge, one part rock shard jutting from the hillside, the homes are connected to the street by a pair of tether-like catwalks. There’s more Scandinavian inspiration inside, with tongue and groove cedar cladding on the walls and ceilings, solid oak floors and an easy-living, open-plan layout, with indoor-outdoor flow.

The walls are thick concrete, to keep it cool in summer and

retain heat in winter, and the exterior is clad, alpine-style, in dark Colorsteel.

‘‘Not every decision was a cost decision. It was more about how we build a brilliant quality building that’s going to actually last, and when people live in it or

experience it, that they love it.

‘‘I think many developers at the moment are just slapping stuff up. It doesn’t make you feel good, and it’s not going to last.’’

Kelburn is dominated by heritage and period builds, however Pierson says the ultramodern design was welcomed by neighbours who appreciated what he was trying to achieve. They also liked that a piece of wasteland would be used in a sensitive and clever way.

Pierson’s intention is for the building to ‘‘settle into the landscape’’ as it ages, for it to become ‘‘the character home of tomorrow’’. The surrounding planting is all native, that will ‘‘soften right off’’ and blend into the native bush that’s already there.

From the front balcony, the homes overlook one of Wellington’s great architectural views, the Kelburn Viaduct, and because the site is so steep, it effectively has no on-looking neighbours, although there are properties nearby, on the hill above. A road directly below the house means the view will never be built out.

While the property does have an off-street parking bay, it’s also only a two-minute walk to the nearest bus stop, a five-minute walk to the Kelburn shops, 10-minutes to Victoria

University and 15-20 minutes to the city centre or Lambton Quay via the cable car.

After finding the site, Pierson handed Patchwork owners Ben

Mitchell-Anyon and Sally Ogle a rough design and worked with them to make it happen.

Detail is everything, says Pierson. Every light fitting is dimmable, which means one button, rather than a switch and a dimmer. There’s even smart central heating, which monitors the weather online, so it knows when it’s needed and can turn itself on.

The home is designed with modern lifestyles in mind, there’s outdoor space, but no gardening, plenty of storage, but no wasted wall space.

‘‘I think it was [architects] Antonio Gaudi, or Hundertwasser, when they were

‘‘Your house is an expression of you in the same way that the clothes you wear might be.’’

Luke Pierson

designing mass housing, who said you should be able to spot your own house from the street,’’ said Pierson.

‘‘It’s such a personal thing. Your house is an expression of you in the same way that the clothes you wear might be. I think these will appeal to someone who loves good design.

‘‘When you engage a good architect they can make you fall in love. That’s what you should feel when you come home every day.’’

■ 167a Upland Rd is for sale by tender, which closes on December 16. It is listed with real estate agent Justin Brown for Harcourts.