Brokenshire Passive home

The house is situated on a hill site above Ferrymead and has expansive views from the Kaikouras, across Christchurch City to the Port Hills. 

Owner and designer Mark Brokenshire returned to Christchurch with the intention of building a Certified Passive House having studied the methodology while completing his Master of Architecture in Auckland. The challenge he set himself was to design a Passive House without compromising his architectural aesthetic. 

Demolition of an earthquake damaged house provided an appealing site. Ground conditions resulted in significant earthworks prior to commencement of construction. Panelised construction of walls, midfloor and roof resulted in a weathertight envelope constructed within a week once the foundation work had been completed. 

A carefully selected palette of materials creates harmonious colours and textures internally and externally. The sculptural nature of the design is evident on approach with a monopitch roof that follows the slope of the street. This forms a quiet, restful aspect to the house. On the opposite façade a nine metre mast supports a deck wrapped in Corten steel; the mast is a conceptual link to the sailing schooners that berthed at Ferrymead during the early settlement of Christchurch. From the deck, the complexity of the northern façade becomes evident with timber pergolas and Corten steel window frames that project from the walls. 

Designed ultimately for healthy, comfortable and economic family living the house has large open plan interior volumes, resulting from the simple monopitch roof. Bedrooms open out to a lower deck and landscaped areas. Raw steel is used as a material element exposed in the central stairwell and in a structural roof beam. Hot rolled steel is used to contrast timber flooring and shelving, complementing dark grey kitchen surfaces.   

The aesthetic of this home concentrates on inhabitation, materials and creative form.