Prefabricated Award winner New Zealand

Harakeke /Korari is a native flax plant that can be found throughout New Zealand, historically it was an important part of daily life - useful, strong and beautiful. It is a representation of a healthy and functional family, not just as individuals but also that they are connected both to the past (our history) and the future (the next generation).

The flax plant becomes a metaphor for the Kōrari Relocatable home. Its strength, functionality, flexibitity and its ability to nurture. It is divided up into three sections representative of three generations, that learn and gather strength from the past, protect the present and nurture the future. The three rooms are arranged so that they offer the option of allowing the middle room to create a flexible playspace/study. The living space/kitchen/dining opens towards three directions, not only enabling flexibility for the home to be easily responsive to each unique site eg. North, views, wind, but also ensuring a simple division between living and cooking is possible if cultural preferences require that. By using local sustainable materials that suit the New Zealand context it fits within its environment. Solar Screen options enable the prefabricated relocatable home to be customised in a simple way to the site, solar direction and the families needs.

The judges comments were as follows:

A plan of beautiful simplicity and clarity divides the plan of the winning entry into public and private zones separated by a full building length storage and utility wall. As a starting point this plan, the controlling document in any building, establishes that the designers have fully-resolved this scheme. Accommodating multi-generational family needs, a highly functional flexible and accessible room is easily transformed from play space, to home office, to third bedroom. The generous size and positioning of glazing within the living area, along with the subtle raked ceiling would serve to increase the visual spaciousness and natural light within the combined living / dining / kitchen area all year round. The building envelope is simple in form and material but sophisticated in its detailing and finish, incorporating a thoughtfully designed timber bi-folding shutter which serves as a sun shading device in its closed or open position. This scheme also impressed the jury by its comprehensive attention to environmental issues, including sustainably produced and low emissions material selections, high performance thermal envelope, electricity generation, power usage and water efficiency. The whole presentation was clear, logical and detailed. The comprehensive level of information provided gave confidence that this project has been thoroughly considered, that it can be built within the cost target in the competition documents and that it will present no difficulties in construction. The perspective renderings were both realistic and atmospheric and they were of considerable assistance in enabling the judges to understand the ‘feel’ of the proposal as it would appear to occupants.

Altogether this was an extremely well-considered and elegant solution.