A seamless marriage of durability and style made this home, designed by Michael Idiens and built by Design Construction, the national award winner for New Homes $600,000 – $1 million in the Registered Master Builders 2007 House of the Year, in association with PlaceMakers.
The architecturally-designed contemporary home was built to deliver everything required for inner-city family living, and provide a functional working environment for the owners, who work from home.
Design Construction director Graham Anderson says the company was selected by the architect and recommended to the client because of its reputation for attention to detail and high quality workmanship.
Due to the predominance of concrete in the structure, the site required major foundations work, including a large amount of reinforcing steel.
But the end result is a very durable design created by the extensive use of concrete with plaster finish, metallics, louvres, Eurotray roof and solid doors. This is all complemented by the clever use of colours, fabrics, glass tiles, timber and carpet.
Light and sun have been maximised in the home, with generous use of glass on the north-facing wall ensuring airy, warm living spaces. Bi-fold doors open to an outdoor paved area with a garden and a pool, and louvres allow light to be filtered to the outdoor living area as well as interior living spaces.
Mr Anderson says that, as with each Design Construction project, careful attention to detail was paid in order to achieve the best possible outcome for the client.
“We’re all about delivering excellence in building solutions. On this property, the installation of the floor to ceiling doors, in particular, required careful attention to detail and planning in order to ensure they matched the floor, ceiling and walls perfectly.”
He says the desire for excellence that his company prides itself on was something he learned from working with his father more than 30 years ago. At just 16, he completed a pre-trade carpentry course prior to his apprenticeship.
“With the guidance of a master tradesman I quickly learned that nothing less than excellence is acceptable, something I have based my career and business upon ever since.”
He says Design Construction began trading about 11 years ago, and has since grown from just two staff to more than 15.
“We’ve had some fantastic projects, but one of the most challenging and rewarding was the alteration of a large property in Christchurch,” he says.
“We supported the property with steel beams in order to install a wine cellar underneath the house, and completely renovated the interior to the absolute highest standard, including hardwood joinery, doors and finishings.
“It was one of those projects that just doesn’t come along every day.”
A consistent entrant in the House of the Year awards, and a winner of numerous national and regional titles, Mr Anderson is once again hoping for a good result for Design Construction’s entry in the New Homes over $1 million category in this year’s competition.
