A façade replacement and interior modifications have enhanced this inner-city family apartment.
Located in a regenerating area of inner-city Wellington, the apartment's existing street frontage was very open to public view, providing little sense of separation from its urban surroundings, or privacy for the inhabitants. Whilst the existing interior was engaging, some spaces required reconfiguration to suit our clients’ lifestyle.
The replacement façade with blocks of glazing, anodized aluminium cladding and perforated screens responds to its urban environment with a refined industrial edge. The screens, perforated with a randomised grid pattern, are a significant design element adding texture inside and out. On the exterior they are an eye-catching enhancement to the local streetscape, inside they provide privacy and refuge in the main bedroom, whilst creating a dynamic play of dappled light and shade.
The existing dark and unwelcoming entrance has been replaced with a light-filled double height atrium featuring a net hammock floor (a fun space for resident teenagers), and a generous glazed panel - flooding both the entrance and upper level with daylight.
The main bedroom, previously one excessively large space, can now be reconfigured by corner sliding doors to demarcate a portion of the room into a home office, creating a more enclosed and intimate bedroom area.
A small under-utilised rear deck has been doubled in size to become a comfortable sociable space, connected to the lounge, and to the kitchen by a pass-through window.
Project Location - Te Aro, Wellington, NZ
