Magnificent Home Improvements: Mitchell and Stout Architects

Showing posts with label Mitchell and Stout Architects. Show all posts

David Mitchell & Julie Stout's studio

As promised earlier (and our apologies for this being a promise we've been slow to deliver on), here are some extra shots of David Mitchell and Julie Stout's studio, which is adjacent to their new house on Auckland's North Shore. The house was the subject of an earlier post, but as the studio is an intriguing structure in its own right, we wanted to share more of Patrick Reynolds' photos of it here.<br /><br />David and Julie had the studio built before their house, and lived in it while the house went up on the site behind them. They liked the 19th century idea of garden follies, so designed a contemporary version for themselves. In the image below, you can see why some passersby thought the roof had slid off after construction was finished:<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516590079450026706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpNp9TZtOqpKgE3IqHjo-wf8VeiZlBqv-cXVOvw5Tn8PFk21MoGsMfX72056mx0l8VFPVQNIrWhr_QceXfmCADHgM9MyoDZ8OKsfc51I3pOEFCeWOFhyt7eZi5WFIfj1mp2xewoxYU0Zn/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7122.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /><br />Now, the flaxes are flourishing on the roof garden, which makes for a great hangout for tui and a pleasant addition to the view from David and Julie's bathroom, on the third floor of the big house. In the shot below, you can see the inside of the studio, filled with light playing over the honeyed tones of the plywood linings.<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516589956136083826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRD9XTyq6xxwXuvjCULHcBoJVq3-lREPcIlIkTYob69l0K6063_e0Q3-cR1VwvRfTE3ROPEAfy3u8MWbaLLM1nztraf4Tpr_EZhljj5xT5uwrIYKlPoStuXWNbCYNDh0aM_gJ11N19Xl7/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7268.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" />The small kitchen is located underneath the mezzanine bedroom:<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516590475652740850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg190a6tdJxhK1kxlP5sFdutf5B3V3xnBU7wM_JhpdRvrNNHvzN7qGkO3vHaHqXnniKVFhGPikbWOEhKdRNihT0xMLqk921ywOS21YWGkwjxmUwxemVBBpt5vEF4KfiXZLjXsCJzBwJ1yec/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7290.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /><br />At one end of the kitchen, a small cutout in the cast concrete walls allows a glimpse of the shallow pool that surrounds much of the house, reflecting dappled patterns of light inside during the day.<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516590483803960994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj296sqq-n9wxXETCl7N-BePvrEN8w0YQwwULvYhByt71-HOX49vS8qHVFORedhhfw3M_A-rtP7P7xF6Y83godPbn3Hew9mdE9YJKWzl_6GzM0O0oHhwuQIpTnDye4CNhpDdfKr_hyDaMLq/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7302.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /><br />Julie says the railings on the mezzanine floor make the world's best drying rack.<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516590205613996210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4jBE_efS8-bu_aRSPd-8-8nz63I46UFbiyXJUw3KZQNZKk5E9-lECj08ZGZyU5D8CWCopM4sLRiwzkNXLTCg3NodV4tyOyFOnsgGOrNYIOQxU1ja9B3Xs_K316Wepnyt3lfu8nrzrdg-/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7270.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /><br />Upstairs, a tiny bathroom is tucked behind a glass partition beside the bed. This is a very small space, but its complexity and warmth make it easy to imagine living there, at least for a while. At the moment, Julie and David use it as a space for guests, but it could also be adapted to become a space for working from home, or rented out if necessary ... David and Julie both like the idea of the house being easily adapted to fit their future needs, or those of people who might eventually live in it after they're gone.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGn0qD7z5iHISdqtIviTQvbQw_RIHE8kux4p8Bg2fh3arMdD_UD-7JE8KiZ4hWyCuQn4MXFDFbf85lJsN8S2QQmuNg6BicTa-7-B12_81MK73x7uDHyD2DWwrZjyX-Kfglx7gcwjV1cvQ/s1600/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7306.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516590498927745714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGn0qD7z5iHISdqtIviTQvbQw_RIHE8kux4p8Bg2fh3arMdD_UD-7JE8KiZ4hWyCuQn4MXFDFbf85lJsN8S2QQmuNg6BicTa-7-B12_81MK73x7uDHyD2DWwrZjyX-Kfglx7gcwjV1cvQ/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7306.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>

David Mitchell & Julie Stout's studio

As promised earlier (and our apologies for this being a promise we've been slow to deliver on), here are some extra shots of David Mitch...

7:24 PM

Mitchell & Stout on the North Shore

David Mitchell & Julie Stout's home on Auckland's North Shore is a complex beast, so let's take a slow tour of the exterior, courtesy of our photographer Patrick Reynolds. Here's a view of the house from the street, looking up at the top-floor terrace:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCvTyjx2tU85qUGh5ApyGcSgfCgAZ-O5CRLduqs_inUPKrStNeeGq8_yhRLyM6pV4nrgPqz_IMT0fOdjfAalEVORLkVNn9OKAwdGbqJ_9H5925xNR_18ZKWbB059XxlS4IiP2Em4XAFBa/s1600/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7548.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502154513102986322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCvTyjx2tU85qUGh5ApyGcSgfCgAZ-O5CRLduqs_inUPKrStNeeGq8_yhRLyM6pV4nrgPqz_IMT0fOdjfAalEVORLkVNn9OKAwdGbqJ_9H5925xNR_18ZKWbB059XxlS4IiP2Em4XAFBa/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7548.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> This is a view of the main entrance, sheltered by a large polycarbonate sheet that sends rainwater into the half-pipe you can see in this shot. In rainstorms, the water rockets along it towards the tank:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohXpqdutOsMRS9LWmGk-ogcq25ugPKNmOhtBmz_Bb6Y7-71ZSl3LTDYtdNAzciNX2f-9mpLFEnNmYyM4eSGiAzyPrn3KmZS5h39kcwwV8ElFqBi0C07GiaIlE3C6PXqC0-ZsIhYyqQQpu/s1600/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7263.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502154508630892418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohXpqdutOsMRS9LWmGk-ogcq25ugPKNmOhtBmz_Bb6Y7-71ZSl3LTDYtdNAzciNX2f-9mpLFEnNmYyM4eSGiAzyPrn3KmZS5h39kcwwV8ElFqBi0C07GiaIlE3C6PXqC0-ZsIhYyqQQpu/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7263.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> The polycarbonate sheet in the shot below serves the purpose of lending privacy to the kitchen, without diminishing the amount of light that gets in there. You can see the lower slopes of Rangitoto in the distance in this shot, as well as the home's 'moat' with water lilies. </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYmI-9FOE4KhOvh899muC_mkL0TAY_HaPfUjEn5TFT8MnmksHswyulv1QE5g0org2FO0kqnh1fAN9Oz10x9thAT_ztkGq9n2bP66-iZ6sjJMZhT-Q5EWwWNOOmKJWkIgRYA64LaF30YuT/s1600/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7250.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502154498511163026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYmI-9FOE4KhOvh899muC_mkL0TAY_HaPfUjEn5TFT8MnmksHswyulv1QE5g0org2FO0kqnh1fAN9Oz10x9thAT_ztkGq9n2bP66-iZ6sjJMZhT-Q5EWwWNOOmKJWkIgRYA64LaF30YuT/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7250.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />And here's another view of the 'moat', this time looking from between the house and the garden studio, which sits at a slightly offset angle to it. At some times of the day, the sunlight reflecting off the water creates a lovely quality of light inside the ground-floor flat occupied by Julie's mother.</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5cpCdw3vOXL2z91MQJtoqDaGHIclIQRJ1PQrSpHP57zQA-5i-5Bt4CCj_IDF_rEEQp7X3DxOc05iblblaTyqsOqm-vLi66uXxqOhLcIIZmRmht96RMko6pMLLCp3-s87dAI4R7o-ozbX/s1600/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7614.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502154492838784098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5cpCdw3vOXL2z91MQJtoqDaGHIclIQRJ1PQrSpHP57zQA-5i-5Bt4CCj_IDF_rEEQp7X3DxOc05iblblaTyqsOqm-vLi66uXxqOhLcIIZmRmht96RMko6pMLLCp3-s87dAI4R7o-ozbX/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7614.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>This view is of the ramp leading from the garden to what Julie and David call the 'back' door of the house, which opens into the kitchen and dining area.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingTp1Dx7VoY2JaPZ6l1GV6U0gsuJ9rSMUerXrWmU0rKyWTbtwY31dMzyvyo0r_e3pStlUIu4YYWrnXBzGIP0edOf884jyEaZAUjk7HPjZdPFFulZyjDB83y0eIJ_4vYgufemWb6YPns4Y/s1600/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7644.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502154485969841346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingTp1Dx7VoY2JaPZ6l1GV6U0gsuJ9rSMUerXrWmU0rKyWTbtwY31dMzyvyo0r_e3pStlUIu4YYWrnXBzGIP0edOf884jyEaZAUjk7HPjZdPFFulZyjDB83y0eIJ_4vYgufemWb6YPns4Y/s400/NARROW+NECK+HSE_7644.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a></div></div></div></div><br /><p>Come back and visit the blog next week and we'll take you for a few more photo tours, including David and Julie's garden studio, and some of the other Home of the Year houses. </p>

Mitchell & Stout on the North Shore

David Mitchell & Julie Stout's home on Auckland's North Shore is a complex beast, so let's take a slow tour of the exterior,...

9:44 PM

Looking back at last year's award

Looking back at last year's award

If you're looking at David Mitchell and Julie Stout's house that is a finalist in this year's Home of the Year award in our earl...

2:29 PM

Home of the Year - Part Two - Campbell Live - Video - 3 News

Home of the Year - Part Two - Campbell Live - Video - 3 News

Part two of Campbell Live's coverage of the Home of the Year judging process was on TV3 last night - the story is at this link: Home of ...

2:11 PM

Home of the Year finalists

A little tease: here, we present to you an image of each of the finalists in this year's Home of the Year award. They're presented in no particular order - and remember, you have to hang on a while until we announce the winner on the evening of Thursday July 29.<br /><br />We'll post news of the winner on this site that night, and it will also be announced on TV3's Campbell Live. HOME New Zealand's Home of the Year issue goes on sale August 2.<br /><br />Thanks to our partners BMW - who admire good design as much as we do - the winning architects receive a $15,000 cash prize, making this New Zealand's richest architectural award.<br /><br />This year we have six finalists. Unusually, two architects have two finalists each. The first of these is Daniel Marshall, who designed two houses on Waiheke Island. This one (shown below) is nestled in a bay at the island's eastern end, and was photographed by Simon Devitt.<br /><div> </div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495767703533697618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12vQ-i_O7-5Y9gteKzkJdv1KkMnaTDD0KUnL7otybGclkGAWhOhKq6lxxnSx-ZZFDnQe4EhviO4oHA3V7grXuL_jATV7dtxL56TU7wTnznTJnT9pKiccfsc1i3ZDdypkh3auXo3N2uEWa/s400/Waikopua.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 272px; CURSOR: hand" /></div><div>And this one is on the northern side of the island, and was photographed by Patrick Reynolds.</div><div> </div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495767679342998642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9uHZGEcSukHJ_5QQ0dQOau2TfB1o687EkFbiWC9jGi8lCsU7u-4H7-ld74G8FxEGOgdQQmv5DuFdwDNbvwN5tf5YwEqpyA_Cr8J_wU0FAtWdAUreHIGcqcDaRWoTD4RfkhaL0Jr3ujVK/s400/HNZ0810KORORA+BAY+HSE_7469a.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /></div><div>The winners of last year's Home of the Year award, David Mitchell and Julie Stout of Mitchell & Stout Architects, have their own Auckland home (below) in this year's lineup of finalists. It was photographed by Patrick Reynolds.</div><div> </div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495767831198645714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6K_8QtvSQPIH9jaLZzIZLvN6rClrGUW7DfRwm3sjjpKLJXmXYCZZqMobobxjPsu6IxS6rLNZAbcQd9trUvtABguXNXnxQzNvn-4qzwGryGHAdFZyJ2WLxXW-TgBVh892jAAgIIMmlYsx/s400/HNZ0810MitchelStout_NARROW+NECK+HSE_7994.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" />Stevens Lawson Architects also have two homes in the finals. Both were photographed by Mark Smith. This one is a home on the shores of Lake Wanaka:<br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2uhCqr-WPJqNBzjUFxqvxIcYZ4OG5jgrfOnK8jrDU4xf138c8vPfzT6-qdHw-VG0fGSP8fLWJlCkHjkO-POkyMZTVx_Jv9Veq74fIaEBw94qQYtJmzTBXmNxxsqNsvTsXgQXrWgt2moV/s1600/HNZ0810Wanaka-Gray+House+snow.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495767692779118354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2uhCqr-WPJqNBzjUFxqvxIcYZ4OG5jgrfOnK8jrDU4xf138c8vPfzT6-qdHw-VG0fGSP8fLWJlCkHjkO-POkyMZTVx_Jv9Veq74fIaEBw94qQYtJmzTBXmNxxsqNsvTsXgQXrWgt2moV/s400/HNZ0810Wanaka-Gray+House+snow.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> And this one is a home in east Auckland:</div><div><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mWVd50gnDbjvqI6grroS4HTn_i1FEf5BwUN3XFekqYmZgE5hN45agISD2eK91eG4FnJtA79X1BTpktpuYSfDESMb6XseTQNXosWK66HZ9zjNxKtEjjHkO46Kgq6kB3gWXpBPRqgjoVfw/s1600/HNZ0810Glendowie_Glendowie+24.02.10+CF028208.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495767672034942674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mWVd50gnDbjvqI6grroS4HTn_i1FEf5BwUN3XFekqYmZgE5hN45agISD2eK91eG4FnJtA79X1BTpktpuYSfDESMb6XseTQNXosWK66HZ9zjNxKtEjjHkO46Kgq6kB3gWXpBPRqgjoVfw/s400/HNZ0810Glendowie_Glendowie+24.02.10+CF028208.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 306px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Finally, this home in Arrowtown was designed by Pete Ritchie and Bronwen Kerr of Queenstown's Kerr Ritchie Architects. It was photographed by Paul McCredie.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUak6u0qSdJAdrMvS5ChkY_S_LEQL50jjwC2J9xAYWttYuGto6-fyGUePP0jiZJyTT28QH57N5vbgu7qtWqyLx4Ks7xTIACixT-xne4e-sncGPsf55bHdH0ITFay3d65u1Ld8tT_eIBAd/s1600/HNZ00810Arrowtown_DSC_0068.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495767653409043858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUak6u0qSdJAdrMvS5ChkY_S_LEQL50jjwC2J9xAYWttYuGto6-fyGUePP0jiZJyTT28QH57N5vbgu7qtWqyLx4Ks7xTIACixT-xne4e-sncGPsf55bHdH0ITFay3d65u1Ld8tT_eIBAd/s400/HNZ00810Arrowtown_DSC_0068.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" /></a></div></div></div></div></div><br />Which one do you think should win? Feedback is welcome...

Home of the Year finalists

A little tease: here, we present to you an image of each of the finalists in this year's Home of the Year award. They're presented i...

4:43 PM

Meet the Architects

Over the next few weeks we're hosting a series of evenings in Auckland and Wellington offering our readers the chance to come and meet the architects in our Home of the Year issue, and see them present some more of their work. The first talk is tomorrow night in Auckland, with another in Wellington on Thursday evening.<br /><br />Here are the details. Entry is free - just register by emailing the address below. Architects get 5CPD points.<br /><br />AUCKLAND<br />Tuesday August 18, 6pm<br />David Mitchell & Julie Stout<br />Mitchell & Stout Architects<br />Team McMillan BMW<br />7 Great South Road, Newmarket<br />With three appearances in the Home of the Year finals, Julie Stout and David Mitchell discuss their unique approach to creating unforgettable houses<br /><br />Tuesday August 25, 6.30pm<br />Andrea Bell<br />Bossley Architects<br />Jerry Clayton BMW<br />445 Lake Road, Takapuna<br />With two homes in the Home of the Year finals in consecutive years, Andrea Bell reveals the secrets behind her innovative, beautifully crafted designs<br /><br />Tuesday September 1, 6pm<br />Nicholas Stevens & Gary Lawson<br />Stevens Lawson Architects<br />Team McMillan BMW<br />7 Great South Road, Newmarket<br />The creators of a series of unforgettable sculptural homes reveal some of their other plans in development and discuss their ideas of what makes a great home<br /><br />Tuesday September 8, 6.30pm<br />Michael O’Sullivan<br />Bull O’Sullivan Architecture<br />Jerry Clayton BMW<br />445 Lake Road, Takapuna<br />The designer and builder of his own ingenious family home in Mangere Bridge talks about the joys and challenges of doing it himself<br /><br />WELLINGTON<br />Thursday August 20, 6.30pm<br />Gerald Parsonson<br />Parsonson Architects<br />Jeff Gray BMW<br />138 Hutt Road, Kaiwharawhara<br />After designing three baches in the Home of the Year competition, Gerald Parsonson discusses his approach to creating uniquely New Zealand homes<br /><br />TICKETS ARE FREE<br />Please register by emailing the names and email addresses of each person attending to<br />architectstalk@acpmagazines.co.nz<br /><br />Please note that by registering you are giving your consent to receive promotional offers from BMW. If you don’t wish to receive such offers, please say so in your email.

Meet the Architects

Over the next few weeks we're hosting a series of evenings in Auckland and Wellington offering our readers the chance to come and meet t...

4:43 PM

The outtakes

One of the hardest parts about laying out house shoots is showing as much of the house as possible without the layouts getting repetitive. The good thing about having a blog is that we can show you some of Patrick Reynolds' amazing shots of the 2009 Home of the Year by Mitchell & Stout Architects that didn't make it into the final layout. This is one of the first views you get of the house from the bottom of the driveway -- it's a wonderfully intriguing object on the hill, inviting exploration:<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-XvJR3xATfhFvoUs1seGu6fPQ2mh0m2WE3Ux4DlO3N1fz1nqCE6tyBv4MAzA9EzW6gOXvsRGfThf_vf9FivIk5fWphJhl2z8aThN7uiSWrGAXTgszV8HZnxNi6jAuWh14_BqfJSP0S4X/s1600-h/FISHMAN+HSE_6002.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367088576216522082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-XvJR3xATfhFvoUs1seGu6fPQ2mh0m2WE3Ux4DlO3N1fz1nqCE6tyBv4MAzA9EzW6gOXvsRGfThf_vf9FivIk5fWphJhl2z8aThN7uiSWrGAXTgszV8HZnxNi6jAuWh14_BqfJSP0S4X/s400/FISHMAN+HSE_6002.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> The house faces the ocean, looking back towards Rangitoto and Auckland City:</div><div> </div><div></div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367089944062533634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mH21X18nAiZcZQt-bllEeqnTWC_DH_eBFCC2HpVG1xb_1ZIC4BawgcgQHsdyPRD7bVv2zBkMeGi5vXCeaNYlI0fyMuum1PG04XB_0_1vYVXOkWqTgeTg2GNAAWZ-27ZGHIYP5URFOBJ_/s400/FISHMAN+HSE_5937.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Upstairs, little nest-like guest bedrooms are sheltered behind the cedar screens, which rest on gas struts and can be opened and closed with a long pole:<br /><br /><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367088559102142530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwk_tpSr8bp_zWExnQ9tanKyOTAQ-e9uV8PdsELZ8LIJ_pd1p5F6NadcK3t74cxlfBhHWNklErhjIXr2SzPwGOSG19Q_XSWOYIHWI7rOqxDF_J-NQ-g0U3wz-lAu0yEoLqSwVuMCOBoti/s400/FISHMAN+HSE_5964.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> </div><br /><div>Below these, the master bedroom features an egg-yolk coloured ceiling specified by the architects, and a window that slides right back to allow access to the garden:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLqo3x7Mw5dS7mbHniJRHFEPE0lIahYUm0KdB0wNZvclOnc5TynmbH3hLg9i5MHxV5CLhPDCe03a8aKsSk3BRCf0tiO3SedS8KAxWHIowJ7KGNFsGW0cw8sq0SfuIGmfWkesjKwZ4R9Kd/s1600-h/FISHMAN+HSE_5982.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367088568123464658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLqo3x7Mw5dS7mbHniJRHFEPE0lIahYUm0KdB0wNZvclOnc5TynmbH3hLg9i5MHxV5CLhPDCe03a8aKsSk3BRCf0tiO3SedS8KAxWHIowJ7KGNFsGW0cw8sq0SfuIGmfWkesjKwZ4R9Kd/s400/FISHMAN+HSE_5982.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a><br />Patrick was a little disappointed that we didn't include his detail shots, so here are a couple. They're great, but we just couldn't squeeze them in. This one features the rear of the home, where the verandah roof points dramatically up the hill:<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTwA6kBqHd_H1ssbVMV8f22KGz3231YiknpdTfDaNsKSWqNJn3WtwTu-NO_1Rnhyphenhyphen04QtvsYCIE1YZUevMsj7MJg2_Tr0xHkcq-kzQk3DizLflYY8q3hleFjzLvgTN5xg-SAtNUo5G8ZU6/s1600-h/FISHMAN+HSE_5948.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367088544908532434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTwA6kBqHd_H1ssbVMV8f22KGz3231YiknpdTfDaNsKSWqNJn3WtwTu-NO_1Rnhyphenhyphen04QtvsYCIE1YZUevMsj7MJg2_Tr0xHkcq-kzQk3DizLflYY8q3hleFjzLvgTN5xg-SAtNUo5G8ZU6/s400/FISHMAN+HSE_5948.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> </div><div>And this one shows a meeting of materials: the exterior cedar, the rusted window hood, and the bright yellow interior windowsill of the master bedroom:<br /><br /></div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367090841889783634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwh7wIUqLr7fBZLyVSzWXe7cFnSmYQ_B4YGHPe3o7UXzXNGx12TTOmz5xIxzBHXmnUkX-PLdfpsmnKNQsSZo8aLWh79NlDJDxZ0BNdCyvMKjrui99zC_Vqy7ph-gu8F4NhyphenhyphenfcpFx-WzVe/s400/FISHMAN+HSE_6061.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div>There are plenty more shots where these came from. We'll post more of each of the finalist homes in the coming weeks. I'm on leave now until August 17, but will resume posting after that. </div></div></div></div>

The outtakes

One of the hardest parts about laying out house shoots is showing as much of the house as possible without the layouts getting repetitive. T...

10:21 PM

Home of the Year 2009

Home of the Year 2009

It's official - the 2009 Home of the Year is the Waiheke Island house by Mitchell & Stout Architects. Here it is on the cover of our...

5:01 AM

Our Home of the Year finalists

Sorry about the silence, everyone. We've been flat out preparing our 2009 Home of the Year issue. Which brings us to the point of today's post, which is to show you a sneak preview of the five finalists in the award. (We'll be announcing the winner on August 5, with mags on sale August 6. TV3's Campbell Live will screen a story on the finalists on their show on Monday August 3). The finalists shown here are in alphabetical order. <div><div><div><div><br />1. Andrea Bell from Pete Bossley Architects designed this big, beautifully crafted house on a clifftop in Glendowie, Auckland. It was photographed by Simon Devitt. </div><div></div><div></div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360769378714087378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-4y2SGNh3DhzLP2x90EUjSjJYxKLtgKYdsWtZH6A9TSqwj7LwpOigYrCyivLmHeNuHxXZu8MhlC0RQasHeFSx3iOEwGkBm3IuR4-yJnlMDx0SnVRjvUFrhw3PbUJJMK8-A0JWN27D_Za/s400/Bell.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 298px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br />2. Mitchell & Stout Architects designed this home on Waiheke Island, an open-plan living and kitchen area bookended by two intriguing sculptural volumes. The photograph is by Patrick Reynolds. </div><div></div><div></div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360769393139092802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirC-PRPDuSVZXQGQLW7upTp9ANjY_whpeI6LFSXSNUx1S0gth2oLQmZVGBgKYLVf637hSu-Ifv82LX7jBpSebx9IKY56vdigz0l-mEtlS5Uy0M_4_K2f2kL9xdKOX5sdoaT_QwoAlf6D2t/s400/Mitchell+and+Stout.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br />3. Michael O'Sullivan of Bull O'Sullivan Architecture designed and built his own family home in Auckland's Mangere Bridge, which was photographed by Florence Noble. </div><div></div><div></div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360769401803801554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdiz-DlH9-1QFv5iyozxeX_XFGI8KmF6GChXO8ySNw1CGK-OkBhrVhSn8QLcPY45Hr2BEZ9iiOHsavFQxJ_x0GnXxq2Cd6npnPJrgFLO_GJR7vKO8SasIM646SEuMFbOO2jTksLFs2Edf/s400/OSullivan.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />4. Parsonson Architects designed this simple, light-as-a-feather bach at Shoal Beach in southern Hawkes Bay. It was photographed by Paul McCredie. </div><div></div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360769413058587682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCEbEMC3hHVk3aEeqJaJM2Fdw7_MCFtk-AelPHldXp9b2lW5MVx8JSUzMNbEytUCovFv9CX3lCt5NEe0DH6wWaLK5-2pWv8Qy3csoHGtb2AZBemoyKikPDmDgvokXiLmn417qh8ot4-fb/s400/Parsonson.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div>5. And Stevens Lawson Architects designed this long, low, mysterious home on Hawkes Bay's Te Mata Peak, which was photographed by Mark Smith.</div><div></div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360769419375681954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwb1E3rrM4w15ogL3iNS_5r65jgIhvC2kldWzcoHAU2GJptsYq1o3Dmn4HS0hMPsGZyt0cA-1SeohKJSfTwTmHy0Mrhn1LjY0PavYL-pKfEQcSBSDvppUupchQoobth8rcylCZ-IkzvqHD/s400/Stevens+Lawson.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div></div></div><br /><p>For those of you who don't know, the competition works like this: In April, we call for entries from architects around the country, who send us plans and photographs of recently completed projects. Then our three-person judging panel - which this year was made up of myself (HOME New Zealand ed. Jeremy Hansen), Hugh Tennent, the Wellington architect who won our Home of the Year award in 2006, fellow Wellington architect Alistair Luke, who led the restoration of Plischke's Sutch house in Brooklyn, among many other projects - chooses 10 homes for our shortlist. </p><p>We visit each of those 10 homes in person, a week on the road that involves a lot of in-depth discussion about the pros and cons of each place. After those visits, we choose the winner and four finalists to feature in the Home of the Year issue. The winning architects get a $15,000 cash prize, thanks to the generosity of our partner in the awards, BMW. </p><p>Keep an eye out for the new issue of the magazine, containing heaps more about these fantastic homes. We're sending the last pages to the printers tomorrow. </p>

Our Home of the Year finalists

Sorry about the silence, everyone. We've been flat out preparing our 2009 Home of the Year issue. Which brings us to the point of today...

9:30 PM

Magnificent Home Improvements