Richmont House

Cruciform in shape, the bottom bar of the house containing the kitchen, dining and living area, runs east to west, while the upper storey of three bedrooms and two bathrooms runs north to south.

The ground floor, with its glass walls, maximizes the beautiful setting. Meanwhile, the low 2.2-metre ceiling over the kitchen and living area counters the 8.9-metre span of the south glass wall to lend the area a cosy feeling, while giving linear spatial width to the room. This feeling is further enhanced with a horizontal hanging gas fireplace that appears to hover over an outdoor water feature. The dining area in the central space is double volume in height, giving interconnectivity between the upper and lower spaces of the house; by opening the sliding glass doors, this dining area can be integrated into the two similarly floored courtyards that flak the space. The courtyard to the east captures the morning sun, while the courtyard to the west provides a sheltered spot for outdoor entertaining. This extensive use of glass as a walling material enhances the spatial feel of the house and , as well in each bedroom a glass wall visually extends the room far beyond its physical boundaries.

This article appeared in NZ Home & Entertaining Aug/Sep 2002
Home of the Year Award 2002