Set in the rear garden of a traditional villa in a leafy suburban street is a family home designed by two architects for themselves and their three children.

Location: Auckland NZ

Pool reflections create moving patterns of light on the tranquil white surfaces. Sun throughout the day warms the building. 

Embedded into the gentle north-facing slope, the house is slightly angled on the site to address street and sun.

This placement defines different garden spaces, used variously according to time of day and weather. 

Sheathed in horizontal corrugate, the building references the traditional weather­ boards of the surrounding villas.

The internal circulation axis visually connects garden and street through the house. The central kitchen/dining space has a strong physical and visual relationship to outside. 

Separated living spaces at the extremities enable different family activities to occur simultaneously. 

From the first floor the street view is across the double-height living room. The parent's retreat under the highest part of the roof is in the treetops.

Structure has been left exposed wherever possible - natural concrete floors, steel beams, profiled metal and blond plywood. Colours, deliberately shades of white and grey, provide background  for changeable colour accents and art.

Site location, Plans and Elevations of the A+B HOUSE by CAA