A chance to rebuild in a flood zone led to this stunning, innovative home, designed by Archco Architecture and built by Artwork Homes.

WORDS Kathy Young PHOTOGRAPHY Stephen Goodenough

When architectural designer Gareth Ritchie from Archco Architecture received the brief for this Redcliffs property, the challenges seemed almost insurmountable: Build two storeys. Elevate everything 1.6m above ground level. Stay within the footprint of the demolished earthquake-damaged home. Oh, and make it beautiful while you’re at it.

But because of where the existing, earthquake- damaged building was, and the need to replace its footprint, it was quite close to the road. “We had this huge, towering structure that we had to somehow mitigate the effects of it looming over the street,” says Gareth.

The solution? A commanding stone wall that would become one of the project’s defining features.

The connection of Gareth to this Redcliffs site came through word of mouth. After Archco won an award for another project on a nearby street, the builder on that job, who happened to be friends with the homeowner here, made the introduction. Artwork Homes came on board through another word of mouth connection of the homeowner’s.

“We bought the property in 2019 as we’re originally from Christchurch and wanted to move back home,” says the homeowner. “It was good to catch up with my builder mate here and that’s when I heard him mention how good Gareth’s work was.”

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The homeowner’s brief was remarkably open. “He wanted gables. He wanted a shuttered front facade, and we evolved it from there,” says Gareth. The homeowner had just one reference image of a house he liked: a Saint Marys Bay, Auckland home with a shuttered gable end. Beyond that, the constraints of the site itself would guide the design.

And there were plenty of constraints. Located in a high-hazard flood area, the property required extensive resource consent. “For example, in order to meet building consenting requirements we had to work out, in the event of a flood or a tidal surge, where a life raft could get to the house, and how tidal surges might hit the house, or reach neighbours’ properties,” says Gareth.

But it was the 1.6m elevation requirement that posed the greatest design challenge. With the garage exempt from this restriction, Gareth saw an opportunity. “We thought with the garage being located at the front of the property, we could turn the whole street facade into a big anchoring structure that grounded the house behind it.”

The result is a sweeping stone wall crafted from locally sourced Tai Tapu stone that spans the entire street frontage. It transforms what could have been an awkwardly elevated structure into something purposeful and grounded. The wall seamlessly integrates the garage, which features a cedar-clad door, and creates a sense of privacy while establishing the home’s strong street presence.

Behind this stone anchor, the main building is impressive. Cedar shingles clad the two-storey form, chosen for their coastal stability and distinctive aesthetic. Dark-stained cedar shutters add depth to the front gable, providing privacy for the bedroom behind, while creating visual interest that shifts with the changing light.

“The approach to the home is also quite unique,” says Gareth. “You walk through a pathway that leads to some steps that give you the impression that they’re floating out over a pond.” These cantilevered concrete steps hover above a tranquil water feature, setting the tone for what is to come

Step through the front door, and the floating theme continues. “The homeowner was really keen to have floating timber stairs inside,” Gareth says. The result is another stunning staircase with oak treads that appear to step out from the wall, held firm by steel fins. Throughout the interior, there’s a careful layering of materials. Oak flooring and white walls provide a clean canvas for the drama of walnut kitchen joinery and a dark stone benchtop. A microcement and cantilevered concrete hearth frames the fireplace, adding textural warmth. The overall palette is surprisingly light, creating what Gareth describes as an “inside oasis”. It’s a striking contrast to the darker, more fortress-like exterior.

At the rear of the home, the elevated living spaces connect to the ground level through tiered outdoor areas. The pool, positioned just below the finished floor level, laps against the wing walls of the house, and includes built-in seating, creating that sense of bringing the outside in. It’s a playful detail that blurs the boundary between architecture and landscape.

The project was not without its challenges, and the lengthy consent process pushed construction into the Covid-19 era, with material shortages and price increases. “Unfortunately we hit every bad point in the market in the last five years,” says Gareth. Yet somehow, remarkably, the finished home looks exactly like the original render Gareth had produced. “We don’t get a lot of those houses that end up looking exactly like we’ve designed them. That’s quite pleasing,” says Gareth.

With extensive groundworks completed, the team at Artwork Homes handled the construction of the home from the ground up. They had a part in every element of the build, says one of the directors, Dion Wellbourn.

The structural complexity was significant. A concrete rib and infill system for the home’s suspended ground floor level had to be craned in along the narrow section, with structural steel cast into the concrete and tied down 1.6m into the home’s ground footings.

“The whole house is a skeleton of structural steel creating large open areas,” Dion says. “This meant it was more beneficial for us to fabricate all the timber wall frames on site. The team could work to exact site measurements instead of this being fabricated off site.” The complexity of the shape of the house and the internal lines meant there was considerable thought, time and labour. “Every plate, stud and dwang was hand cut and finished.”

For the exterior, the cedar shingles marked a first for the team. “It’s always good working with natural products,” says Dion. The locally sourced stone drew regular comments from passers-by, while the concrete works extended beyond the house itself to include the entrance steps and pond. Even the large cedar shutters on the front facade were handmade and fabricated on- site by Artwork Homes. Inside, the team installed the striking timber staircase with its steel fin balustrades. “We are really proud to stand back and look at the finished home, it’s stunning.”

Completed late last year, the four-bedroom, 300sqm home has already earned recognition, taking out a 2025 ADNZ Canterbury Regional award for new homes in the 150-300sqm category, plus a Commended award for interiors.

Gareth says, “I’m just proud of the fact that the home got built. There were so many challenges along the way, but it’s all worth it now to see it today in its finished form and being lived in.” The homeowners are equally delighted, saying, “It’s been a super collaborative process, with Gareth and Artwork Homes really knowing their craft. We’re very happy with the result.”