Peak presence

When designing a home for himself and his family, architectural designer and director of Prime Designs Luke Hammington drew inspiration from the natural surroundings. “We live an active lifestyle and wanted something that captured the mountains and scenery whilst still feeling private and cosy,” says Luke. “We are big entertainers so having multiple leisure spaces was important.”

The design also needed to make the best use of every space and view. The primary suite is tucked away at the end of the house with lake and Coronet Peak views from the bedroom and ensuite. At the back of the home, the children’s bedrooms and office have a view of the Remarkables as does the guest studio, tucked behind the garage with separate entrance offering privacy for guests.

“We aimed to achieve a balance between a good design and a cost-effective build. We kept the detailing and structure simple where possible and spent our money in the right areas to maximise the outcome,” says Luke who carefully considered the functionality of each space in the home to make the most of the floorplan and follow the strict design guidelines for the Jack’s Point area.

Jack’s Point’s distinctive character has been shaped by the history of the land and a guiding principle that architecture must sit quietly within the wider alpine landscape. This preserves a cohesive environment of modern homes inspired by Central Otago’s rural heritage, set among native scrub, beech forest and expansive open space.

Homes in the area draw on the simplicity of traditional farm buildings, complemented by stone walls, rustic timber gates and open grazed land reminiscent of the region’s pioneering past. A restrained palette of natural, recessive materials ensures buildings remain visually subservient to the landscape, while planting reflects the site’s indigenous ecology. Informal boundaries and an extensive trail network further strengthen community connection.

While design controls guide form, materials and placement, homeowners can still express individuality. All landowners and designers must review the Design Guidelines and Design Review Board process before beginning plans.

For this home to meet the local requirements, sleek tray roofing is supported by a timber frame with structural steel features. Luke designed the pavilion style gables to be joined by sections of flat roof. “We wanted to have three strong light-timber clad peak gables to form a big presence against the Remarkables backdrop.”

The exterior is clad in a combination of timber weatherboards and local schist stone to create a sense of connection to the landscape. “The biggest challenge was how to lay out living spaces to capture all the views. In the end we designed a part height stone wall which blocks out a section of the subdivision below and channelled views towards Coronet Peak and Lake Wakatipu.”

When it came to materials, Luke specified natural stones, grey and brown timbers with pops of black to reflect the landscape.

Luke chose Fixation Builders to build his home following a recommendation. “After meeting builder Darren and discussing their ideas, they instantly felt comfortable that Fixation were the right team for the job,” says Stacey Robinson of Fixation Builders. “Prime designs were great to work with, communication was open and there was a collaborative approach to the project,” says Stacey. Problem solving between parties was straightforward to overcome any issues that arose.”

In the kitchen Luke met his family brief for a bespoke kitchen with scullery and sit-down breakfast bar area. B and M Joinery expertly crafted the kitchen and separate bar in the scullery that features an Archant woven panel with back lighting. B and M Joinery also designed and fitted cabinetry in the laundry and study.

The interior finishes and colour scheme were refined by interior designer Jess Blair from Forager Studio. The schist-clad entry and fireplace feature-wall, create strong natural focal points within the build. The warm timber tones of the Moda Verona flooring and timber feature wall from Forte with its brushed surface offers a textural surface to connect to the rugged landscape. The sliding glass doors into the office and media room, are a special feature added for visual impact that serve both rooms well. The fully tiled bathrooms feature tapware from the Plumbline Buddy range and the free-standing bath in the ensuite is well positioned with views from the Remarkables to Lake Wakatipu.

A two-step decorative paint system known as Porter’s French Wash has been applied throughout the home to create a soft, marble-like finish on the interior walls, achieved by applying a tinted wash over a low-sheen base coat and then ragging it with muslin cloth to reveal subtle textures and patterns for an elegant look.

“We used three different types of Porters French Wash to give the rooms some variety and wow factor,” says Luke.

The extremes of the local climate have been addressed with thick 140millimetre walls, a high level of insulation and recessed windows. A ducted central heating system and wood burner ensure warm temperatures year-round. These are supported by large format, thermally broken windows to make the most of the mountain and lake views.

The outdoor living sits alongside the home and offers the luxury of a sauna, spa and pool area. The Staurn 8 x 4 metre heated pool from Bayside Pools is a perfect vantage point for the views to the Remarkables. With a deep end of 1.8 metres and a family friendly safety toe ledge for learning swimmers. This inviting pool in the popular shade of Blue Knight has a dark blue and light sparkle that really pops in the
sun and looks both inviting and stylish in the outdoor space.

The low salt pool runs on an easy to use, cost efficient Halo system with minimal chemicals to maintain soft sanitised water and runs on an energy saving 3-speed pump and heating system. The pool runs on
a large 24 kilo watt pool heater keeping it heated to a suitable swimming temperature year-round. The glass media filter provides a clean filtration system for the pool and the electric Coverstar cover has low water evaporation and less chemical burn off. The cover is designed to be walked on providing an extra level of safety. If a young one was to get through the fencing into the pool area, the cover would prevent them for getting into the water.

Throughout the home, the combination of premium finishes, feature walls, schist elements, fully tiled bathrooms and the bespoke kitchen combine to create a cohesive and stylish architectural family home with a strong connection to its’ environment and outdoor living.

“The homeowners were very happy with their experience,” says Stacey. “They love the stunning architectural outcome achieved. It’s a home that they can fully enjoy as a family and to make the most of all the stunning elements that this part of Queenstown has to offer.”

Contact details:

Prime Designs
04 528 8405
admin@primedesigns.co.nz
www.primedesigns.co.nz