Arcline Architecture Alterton Park Home

A retired Auckland couple’s relocation to Kerikeri came with a brief to Arcline Architecture’s principal Alan Simpkin for a home to blend with the Northland environment.

It was to be in harmony with Kerikeri’s cultural history – think Rewa Village, a pre-European replica Maori fishing village with its whare gable roof.On a sloping, elevated site offering stunning views to the Kerikeri inlet, the dual-pod home at Alderton Park captures the owner’s requirements for sun, views, wind, access and usability. The fact that the clients were 100% firm in their design decisions helped move the project smoothly through the design process.

Some large rocks on the site initially involved some re-design of the retaining wall footings and a large trench proved a better solution than standard pile holes.

The H shape of the home meant the roof was fairly simple, comprising two gable roofs with a connecting ridge over the centre. An option for the centre roof was for membrane but in view of durability and looking for years of leak-free hassle it was agreed to pitch the centre roof and run a gutter line around which meant the interior ceilings could be simple.

Arcline Architecture’s design also satisfied the owner’s requirement for adequate wall space for the couple’s art collection which extends to some interesting art works which feature within the external landscaping. Slot windows have enabled art to be displayed at its best in this new setting.The pod-style home provides both private spaces and those for busy communal gatherings. A drive-under garage takes one into the centre of the home’s internal access and a light-filled gallery connecting the sleeping pod of three bedrooms, bathroom, ensuite and study to the open-plan living area.

The lounge features two triangular-shaped windows at one gable end providing a large glass frontage offering views to the estuary beyond. Timber decking on three upper floors of the home also capture the sun and allow further appreciation for the Northland environment. James Hardie Linea Oblique vertical weatherboards match the T Rib roofing lines of the roof, a profile offering a more traditional finish.

Alan Simpkin says the pod layout worked particularly well with the slope of the site and the home relates to the traditional shapes of architecture in the area with similar pitched roofs both new and those of historical significance such as The Stone House, Kent House and the whare at Rewa Village.

Arcline Architecture

The early roots of Arcline Architecture were in building, Alan and Michelle Simpkin starting their design and build company in 1993. In 2003 the firm refocussed on designing homes – from North Cape to the Bluff. A building background has enabled Alan and the team to accurately design homes according to the range of budgets they are presented with, thereby breaking the cliché designers’ habit of getting carried away with the style with little thought to the budget.