Palm Springs House / Arkhé

closed

The result is a collected architectural composition, expressing clean lines, a neutral color palette, and strategic use of timber and soft landscaping, striking a balance between restraint, warmth, and texture. The rectilinear and subdued façade is balanced with a trapezoidal subtraction dressed in warm timber weatherboards, denoting the entrance and adding interest to the elevation in the streetscape.Text description provided by the architects.Located in the suburban context of Palm Springs, a subdivision ofPapamoa, this house combines aspects of New Zealand and Australian coastal architecture with modernist mid-century elements present in the iconic works of Richard Neutra, Alvar Aalto, and Harry Seidler, among others. This blend of architectural influences is both an intrinsic aspect of the design brief and a response to the context, exploring the subtle cues in the subdivision name and theme.The living area, oriented along the north-south axis, is optimally positioned for cross-ventilation and passive solar heating. Oversized eaves to the west elevation mitigate excessive heat gains, ensuring comfortable temperatures all year round. Low maintenance and durable materials such as painted clay bricks, painted thermally modified timber weatherboards and exposed Siberian Larch compose the external envelope, prioritizing low-embodied carbon.The building form and spatial planning emerge from a diagrammatic process and a response to environmental factors: a rectangular prism extrusion, a subsequent subtraction creating a courtyard and pool area. The result is an "L" shape building, with garage and bedrooms positioned in the south quadrant and living spaces and main bedroom in the northern quadrant interfacing the courtyard. The interior spaces offer restraint with material selection, with warm whites complemented with timber flooring and sarking, bringing a sense of calm and softness.