We are proud winners of the 2015 Wellington Architecture Awards in the Housing category for 120 Oriental Parade house designed by Architecture Workshop’s principle Chris Kelly.

We believe that residential architecture has an important role to play in the formation of the inner city and the enrichment of our social experience. The best houses not only deliver functionality and a much-desired retreat from the busy world for the client but also contribute to the public realm.

How Does This House Contribute to The Public Realm?

We set out to create a house that was generous in its civic contribution to the city. Towards this, we considered the street (or public realm) as a place in its own right, with the buildings forming ‘urban walls’ enclosing each side of the street. We designed a variety of ways for the house to engage with the passer-by, as well as a range of two-way visual connections between the footpath, the medium ground and the more distant views. Aware that these connections could conflict with the desire for private amenity, the building provides a balance between enclosure and openness tailored to the client.