A Relationship of Contrasts – Light Box House by Crosson Architects

Auckland, New Zealand

Crosson Architects’ Light Box House sees an unremarkable lean-to at the back of a traditional Victorian timber villa replaced with a predominantly glazed addition, creating a relationship of contrasts between the new and the existing.

Located in the inner-Auckland neighbourhood of Herne bay, Light Box House has been the home of architect Ken Crosson for the past 35 years. When the time came to work on his own home, as is often the case when architects design for themselves, the project represented an opportunity to experiment with new ideas. Seeking to reinvigorate the original villa, which is architecturally very typical of its era and style, Ken conceived of the new addition as a deliberate disjunction from the existing home, with the result that each section sits as two contrasting halves of the whole.

A particular focus for the new design was creating a connection with the rear garden, which allowed the architect to push beyond a predictable use of glazing. Instead of a bifold or sliding glazed door, as might be expected, the entire back section of the new addition hinges open, acting as a glass gate that can be swung open completely to remove any barrier, real or perceived, between the indoor and outdoor space. A bluestone threshold extends from the paved courtyard a short way into the interior, deliberately blurring the boundary. When fully open, the steel-framed glass section rests back against the vegetated perimeter of the yard. At this moment, it appears almost as though it were the wall of the yard, strengthening the relationship between the garden and the built form.

Through the materiality of steel and glass, a contemporary monochromatic palette and clean, rectilinear forms, Lightbox House sits proudly as a new presence adjacent to its traditional predecessor.

The design does not only experiment with glazing in the form of the hinged glass wall, but through the use of sections of translucent glass in order to screen close neighbours. These translucent openings are highlighted by the rhythmic lines of louvres, which encourage cross ventilation. By contrasting the expanses of clear glass and translucent glazing, the design draws attention to the materiality of glass and mediates the connection between the interior and the garden – denying a straightforward visual connection at certain points serves to heighten the awareness of the direct connection created through the expanses of clear glazing. In this way, Light Box House creates a subtle play of contrasts, not only between old and new but within the contemporary addition too.

Instead of a bifold or sliding glazed door, as might be expected, the entire back section of the new addition hinges open, acting as a glass gate that can be swung open completely to remove any barrier, real or perceived, between the indoor and outdoor space.

The new addition houses the kitchen, which continues the monochromatic palette and clean lines of the architecture. Powder-coated mild steel cabinetry and highly durable stainless-steel benchtops convey a strong contemporary presence that is balanced by the visual lightness created by raising the island bench up on legs, so that it reads more like a piece of furniture than traditional fixed, heavy kitchen joinery. Appliances and kitchenware are hidden behind cabinetry to maintain a minimalist, streamlined aesthetic.

Through the materiality of steel and glass, a contemporary monochromatic palette and clean, rectilinear forms, Lightbox House sits proudly as a new presence adjacent to its traditional predecessor. Side by side, both old and new each gain definition through contrast.

When the time came to work on his own home, as is often the case when architects design for themselves, the project represented an opportunity to experiment with new ideas.

Appliances and kitchenware are hidden behind cabinetry to maintain a minimalist, streamlined aesthetic.