At Koia Architects we take real joy in undertaking a wide variety of projects. Small or large, old or new. I think this keeps me fresher. One of the key reasons that we have offices in Auckland and Queenstown is that it keeps refreshing my perspective and stimulates my design eye. Doing renovations and new builds does the same thing. I always say, designing villa and bungalow renovations makes me better at new builds, and creating new builds makes me better at those renovations. Understanding the history and relevance of detailing cornices and architraves, informs you when pairing back those details for modern homes.
Similarly creating multi residential projects helps inform me on single residential homes. We utilised heat recovery units on Residence du Parc for 48 two bedroom apartments and then utilised that knowledge in single residential homes. On my own villa addition in St Auburn St, Devonport, I developed a full grey water treatment system that was utilised for watering gardens and flushing toilets, and combined this with roof water catchment that was used to shower and store 5000l of water in an underground tank with benefits for flash flood storage and so improve stormwater discharge. We then have that knowledge to take to apartment living which would see even greater gains for owners and the wider community.
Creating a new home in Millbrook, Queenstown with a slate roof in a multigenerational country home taught me about creating homes with extended life spans. The welsh slate had a life expectancy of 200 years. Why 200 years we asked the supplier. Because that’s how long they have been quarrying it and they seemed long enough, the supplier stated. So if the roof lasts 200 years, how long should the walls last? Well they better survive two hundred years. Then the idea of the 200 year house was born. Twice the life expectancy of a villa. And four times the Building Code requirement… Once you have this as an objective all your detailing changes and the home improves. We then take this through into all projects. Large and small.
Having offices in Queenstown and Auckland broadens our knowledge. Insulating and heating your homes above building code is essential for a quality home in the south island and colder locations. It informs us on our Auckland and North Island homes.
Higher insulation standards, double layering the ceiling insulation, using 150mm studs and perimeter slab insulation, ventilating the roofs with what we refer to as sheet ventilation, recessing the windows so that the insulation of the walls lines through with the window plus better weather protects the window. These are just some of the lessons learnt in the south Island and brough north through all our projects. These are so standard for us that we have forgot that this is not the standard. Recently a window manufacturer came out with recessed window suite. We have only been using recessed windows for twenty years.
The leaky home fiasco has taught us all many things. We now have our own window flashing details. Each detail is designed with the thought of, what happens if the first layer fails. The second layer must also expel water to the exterior. Life is not 100% and tradepeople can have a bad day. We need to try to design for it.
Heating systems are critical I’d suggest in all climates. We utilise air to water systems (heat pumps) a lot with new builds and have utilised this in our own offices in a renovated villa in Arthurs Point, Queenstown as well as our villa renovation in St Aubyn St, Devonport, Auckland. We like to have back up systems in case of power failure. Wood fires are a nice one and on the 2-3 days a year when there is a power cut, usually in the depth of winter, you really appreciate that your home has been designed for this event.
Building cladding that requires minimal maintenance has also been a great learning. It first became apparent when we designed a home constructed of stone walling. Maintenance requirement, brush once every couple of years…optional. Compare that to stains and painted cladding in hard to reach locations and think of the ‘Whole of Life’ cost. Not to say we don’t utilise stained and painted walls but we do so with a mind of cost of maintenance. We try to place them in easy to reach areas.
These are just a sample of areas of exploration that we have undertaken over the last 30 years in practice. Its what keeps it exciting and stimulating. Projects large and small, old or new. Buildings and landscapes, science and art. It is hugely rewarding and developing long term relationships with our clients has been a wonderful and unexpected bonus. It all adds to the richness of life.