Roxburgh Street

NEW BUILD

CONSULTANTS - NOVAK+MIDDLETON, CHP Consulting Engineers

national Category winner, house of the year 2022

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. This house in one of Wellington’s heritage suburbs is brand new. The exterior is designed to reflect and respect its neighbourhood, and every effort has been taken to ensure period proportions and scale have been matched – while also complying with today’s building regulations.

The poor condition of the original 1890s villa and a 1960s plaster garage meant demolition; a complicated process due to the proximity of neighbours. Extensive earthworks were needed, as was the construction of temporary soldier pile walls down two boundaries to retain neighbouring properties. Concrete piles were placed under a thermally broken slab to ensure this home is here to stay.

The interior is a highly crafted balance of traditional design features – think plastered cornices, panelled walls and deep skirting boards – with elements and materials you’d expect in a contemporary home.

Modern comforts include embedded heating in the thermally isolated concrete slab and a smart ventilation system. This home is a stellar example of how you can build in a traditional style but ensure every contemporary comfort has been accounted for.

This home was featured in the December 2024 edition of NZ House and Garden.