AGAINST THE ODDS

ABODE MAGAZINE – Featured Article, May/June 2024

Words: Kathy Catton   Photography: Andrew O’Sullivan

https://www.abodemagazine.co.nz/home/2024/5/3/against-the-odds

A collaborative approach between an architectural designer at Foley Group Architecture and Radius Building led to a light at the end of the tunnel with this challenging but innovative build.

The story of this home isn’t just about its breathtaking views or modern design; it’s about the journey of its designer – also the homeowner – and the builder, who turned a daunting challenge into an award-winning triumph.  Meet Rob d’Auvergne, homeowner and a director at Foley Group Architecture. As an architectural designer and Homestar assessor evaluating homes for their environmental credentials) he’s passionate about homes that prioritise both beautiful design and minimising environmental impact. When he and his wife stumbled upon the sheer, unkempt 2440sqm section on the hills of Cashmere, Otautahi, he knew he’d have his work cut out.

“We were looking to build a forever home for our family, and we loved the idea of being up on the hill and close to town,” says Rob. “On first viewing, it was a steep, overgrown mess, and we knew from the council records that there were easements for stormwater crossing all over the site, but I could see the potential.” Undeterred by the terrain’s challenges, he embarked on a journey that would test his creativity and perseverance. He could see the opportunity to seamlessly blend architecture with nature in such a way that emphasised technical performance and design aesthetics and that would simultaneously benefit his family’s wellbeing.

Enter Richard Fantham of Radius Building, whom Rob turned to before he’d even bought the section. “Rob invited me to site to discuss the section’s potential even before he bought it – that’s called early contractor engagement, which has significant benefits. The first is that we can provide technical input into design detailing. The next is in establishing project methodology as there’s always multiple ways to tackle a project and understanding this early can affect the design. Lastly, we can advise on cost as plans develop, to help arrive with completed plans that match the budget.”

Turning Rob’s vision into reality proved to be no easy task, most notably because of the chaos brought to the building industry by the global pandemic. Supply chain disruptions, labour shortages and heavy inflation added layers of complexity to an already challenging project.

“In 2021 we were still facing the hangovers of Covid-19 on business disruption,” says Richard. “Like all builders at that time, we were having to deal with unknown lead times for materials. Even the merchants didn’t know when things would be available. Our scheduling Gantt charts allowed us to be clear on what we needed and when, so we could order well in advance to give us the best chance of having what we needed, when we needed it.”

Richard also sacrificed 60sqm of his own space at home to store materials as they arrived before they were needed on site. The threat at this time was that a delay on one material item would halt work and lead to a backlog on all the trades involved in that phase. But Richard had the answer. “We ended up splitting the project and running two schedules concurrently to ensure the project could maintain momentum,” says Richard. “We have tried and proven systems for managing complexity, and these were particularly helpful during this time.
Council inspections were booked up two months out, so we needed to be absolutely sure all work would pass the inspection as missing one detail would cause massive delays, so our in-house quality control process proved valuable too.”

In the face of all this adversity, Rob and Richard stepped up with high levels of collaboration. Together they navigated the “perfect storm” of Covid, a steep site and a technical design. “There were two main factors that made this project a success,” says Richard. “The first was the early contractor involvement, which is critical for complex builds.

The four-bedroom-plus-office home has a timber subfloor and floor (less embodied carbon); lightweight, low maintenance Weathertex, Abodo and Colorsteel cladding; and reduced framing with an insulated service cavity layer on the inside. Other sustainability features include heat-recovery ventilation and rainwater harvesting. The home has been pre-wired for future installation of photovoltaic panels and a hot water heat pump. The home feels practical as well as stylish, with clever use of large cavity sliding doors for the lounge and a nook at the far side of the stairwell. The home is beautifully lit and has well-proportioned spaces.

As Rob and Richard celebrated their hard-earned success, they were met with another pleasant surprise – the home won the Superhome of the Year award, acknowledging its superior design, with particular reference to its energy-efficient characteristics of thermal performance; super-insulated floor, walls and roof; high-performance recessed windows; ventilation and energy-efficiency. A home like this requires specialist building knowledge and expert building techniques of the highest standards. Interpreting what’s never been done before takes not only vision, but also bravery and a healthy dose of collaborative courage.

For Rob and Richard, the accolade was more than just a trophy – it was a validation of their belief that even the most daunting project can be overcome. As Rob says: “With a little bit of creativity and a whole lot of perseverance, anything is possible.”

https://www.abodemagazine.co.nz/home/2024/5/3/against-the-odds