Houzz Tour: At Home in the Hills of Wellington
A Sri Lankan couple build their perfect family home influenced by their new surroundings and heritage
Perched up in the heavily forrested hills of Wellington, surrounded by native New Zealand bushland, is the Korokoro House. This beautiful contemporary home, with striking facades and stunning views from every angle, was designed by architect Liz Wallace of Tse:Wallace Architects. The project was completed early this year, and was custom-designed for a Sri Lankan couple who were keen to bring the style of their favourite architect, Geoffrey Bawa, to New Zealand. Wallace achieved a Bawa-influenced design with a modern edge, creating a home with large open-plan living spaces and multiple outdoor areas built to suit the family’s lifestyle and their heritage, which also complements the natural landscape surrounding it.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Asantha and Minon Wijeyeratne, and their children Chivan, 5, and Avanka, 6 months
Where: Korokoro Gorge, Wellington, New Zealand
Size: 274 square metres (4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms)
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Asantha and Minon Wijeyeratne, and their children Chivan, 5, and Avanka, 6 months
Where: Korokoro Gorge, Wellington, New Zealand
Size: 274 square metres (4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms)
The site is located on a steep slope, which was one of the main challenges Wallace faced with the design. She decided to use an L-shape for the structure of house, spread out over several level to make the most of the surrounding views and optimise the home’s exposure to sunlight. One private section of the house faces north into the gorge, and this is where the bedrooms are located. The south-facing public wing looks out over Wellington Harbour and the Cook Straits. This design also makes the best use of the block.
Wellington is notoriously windy, and as the property sits on a slope it can be hit hard by strong gusts. For a family that likes to spend time outdoors, it was important for the architect to provide them with options for less exposed outdoor areas. “With four distinct outdoor living areas, there’s always somewhere you can go, depending on where the wind’s blowing from,” says Wallace.
At the lower level you are greeted with a staircase and a double-height built-in cabinet, which functions as an office hub at the lower level and a display cabinet higher up. The main living areas and master bedroom are upstairs, while the two children’s bedrooms, activity room and utility spaces are downstairs.
Wellington is notoriously windy, and as the property sits on a slope it can be hit hard by strong gusts. For a family that likes to spend time outdoors, it was important for the architect to provide them with options for less exposed outdoor areas. “With four distinct outdoor living areas, there’s always somewhere you can go, depending on where the wind’s blowing from,” says Wallace.
At the lower level you are greeted with a staircase and a double-height built-in cabinet, which functions as an office hub at the lower level and a display cabinet higher up. The main living areas and master bedroom are upstairs, while the two children’s bedrooms, activity room and utility spaces are downstairs.
The building was designed to respond to its surroundings, and this includes the way in which the roof slopes. Wallace used this angle to compensate for over-glare from the sun, as it blocks out overly bright light at certain times of the day.
The living area in the public wing is where the family spend most of their time. It is made from hoop pine plywood, which adds warmth to the large space. The kitchen cabinets and flooring are bamboo, bringing a tropical element to the design and adding layers of texture.
“Asantha is the main chef of the house and is very passionate about cooking, so was quite specific about about the layout of the kitchen,” says Wallace. To keep the cook happy, up-to-date appliances were installed in the kitchen. The U-shaped design of the space provides Asantha with a clear view of the kids as they play in the living area, yet allows the rooms to remain separate. This was an important part of the architectural brief.
Pendant lights: Tom Dixon
The living area in the public wing is where the family spend most of their time. It is made from hoop pine plywood, which adds warmth to the large space. The kitchen cabinets and flooring are bamboo, bringing a tropical element to the design and adding layers of texture.
“Asantha is the main chef of the house and is very passionate about cooking, so was quite specific about about the layout of the kitchen,” says Wallace. To keep the cook happy, up-to-date appliances were installed in the kitchen. The U-shaped design of the space provides Asantha with a clear view of the kids as they play in the living area, yet allows the rooms to remain separate. This was an important part of the architectural brief.
Pendant lights: Tom Dixon
The expansive windows that surround the living area offer stunning views of the harbour, while the added bonus of a wrap-around balcony gives the family the chance to enjoy the scenery in the open air. This room also features a built-in fireplace, and a media unit that houses the TV and stereo.
The open-plan living area also receives generous amounts of sunlight through the large windows, and Wallace adds they also make the space much more open and inviting.
A window seat is positioned in the perfect spot to take in the surrounding views, and features cleverly concealed storage in the drawers.
Dining table: Vast; chairs: Yamakawa Rattan
A window seat is positioned in the perfect spot to take in the surrounding views, and features cleverly concealed storage in the drawers.
Dining table: Vast; chairs: Yamakawa Rattan
While some items are stashed away, the couple have also made sure their home can display their treasured possessions. The open bamboo cabinet seen here is where Asantha and Minon keep their best crockery, glassware and ornaments.
“Generally with the homes I work with, everything is hidden away behind doors, so it was refreshing to have clients who wanted things to be out in the open,” the architect says. “It adds another layer of decor to the room and is part of their heritage.”
“Generally with the homes I work with, everything is hidden away behind doors, so it was refreshing to have clients who wanted things to be out in the open,” the architect says. “It adds another layer of decor to the room and is part of their heritage.”
On the other side of the dining area Wallace had a balustrade built in. The structure doubles as a display cabinet where the couple can show-off other favoured items. High windows were inserted up the back wall to let in even more light, allowing the polished glass shelves and their precious cargo to shine.
The gallery that runs along the length of the house provides even more space for the family to display more of their treasures, including their collections of artworks and books.
“These ceilings are lower,” explains Wallace, “which creates a more intimate setting.” This sense of intimacy makes the space seem more personal, perfectly suiting the sentimentality of the family’s collections.
“These ceilings are lower,” explains Wallace, “which creates a more intimate setting.” This sense of intimacy makes the space seem more personal, perfectly suiting the sentimentality of the family’s collections.
The main bathroom lies just off the gallery corridor, and showcases a view of the gorge, which is as stunning as those seen throughout the rest of the home. The egg-shaped tub and wall-mounted toilet add a sophisticated, contemporary feel to the room, while an expansive window invites the beauty of the natural environment into the otherwise simple space. This is the perfect place for members of the family to kick back, relax and drink in their spectacular surrounds.
In the master bedroom, a glass wall overlooks the gorge, offering up a jaw-dropping view for the couple to wake up to. Heavy blinds and curtains help to block out excess light, and the roof slopes in the same direction as the land, giving the room even more protection. “With all that glass, it still feels private,” says Wallace, “which is the benefit of tucking the bedroom wing around the more private side of the hill.”
This room has a private entrance to a large terrace that boasts a spa, along with a well-tended veggie patch. This outdoor area is also accessible from the gallery corridor, so the children and guests can enjoy the space as well.
Scrap Light: Graypants
This room has a private entrance to a large terrace that boasts a spa, along with a well-tended veggie patch. This outdoor area is also accessible from the gallery corridor, so the children and guests can enjoy the space as well.
Scrap Light: Graypants
This contemporary home with a distinct Sri Lankan edge is everything the homeowners wanted, helping them to stay connected to their roots while also enjoying the best things that New Zealand has to offer.
Wallace incorporated several key features of Bawa’s style into this project, including the high ceilings and exposed beams which are integral to the home, as well as the use of several outdoor courtyard areas.