Tree Villa by Matter Architects - Reinvigorating A Heritage Auckland Home

Optimising its steep and constrained site, Tree Villa sees the reinjection of life into a dilapidated 110-year old heritage home in Auckland. Through materiality and formal gestures, Matter Architects reference the original bones.

Located in Ponsonby on one of Auckland’s busiest streetscapes, Tree Villa is the combined result of heritage restorative work and the addition of the contemporary to increase the functionality of the home for its occupants. Retaining the existing frontage untouched was key and maintaining this along with the constraints of the limited site size, access and the steep nature of the typography provided its challenges. Connecting the existing to the streetscape and the community was also a priority.

Tree Villa is the combined result of heritage restorative work and the addition of the contemporary.

In order to maintain the street-facing heritage garage, a series of experiments and explorations enable a concealed garage solution, hidden behind seamless frontage. The original front left-hand side bedroom was cleverly utilised with a pair of hinged doors (made from the façade itself with blackened windows) hiding a double car space. Through installing a car stacker internally, and extending the internal void up past the existing ceiling space into the internal roof cavity, this arrangement to respects the heritage context was able to be achieved.

A series of experiments and explorations enable a concealed garage solution.

The disguise of the garage as part of the façade is a clever intervention with respect to context.

Light has a significant role in the interplay of spaces and the engagement between inside and out.

Amidst its difficult site conditions of access and the repair required by the 110-year old home, the rear of the original build allowed for a contemporary interpretation of what the home could be evolved into. To the north of the existing heritage element lies a multi-level contemporary extension that sits as a sculptural addition to the site. Gestures such as the retention of the existing, reinstating brick walls and cranking them at various points, carve out a tectonic play on form and reference. These panels then fall away gradually, allowing the new to emerge.

Gestures such as the retention of the existing, reinstating brick walls and cranking them at various points, carve out a tectonic play on form and reference.

Internally, a calming and classic approach to palette and materiality sees the use of warm timber and painted walls broken up by brick and integrated joinery elements. Light has a significant role in the interplay of spaces and the engagement between inside and out. The connection to the site and its existing elements also provided the inspiration for a layering affect – an aged pōhutukawa tree on site being that muse. Its layered bark elements are represented in a cedar slatted screen wall to the northern façade.

The rear of the original build allowed for a contemporary interpretation of what the home could be evolved into.

A combined sense of restoration and preservation of streetscape is approached with innovation.

Warm timber and painted walls and broken by brick and integrated joinery elements

Tree Villa is a welcomed addition to the rich heritage of the Ponsonby context, where a combined sense of restoration and preservation of streetscape is approached with innovation. The contemporary addition by Matter Architects is an extension of this sensibility, created through a considered lens.