Zinc House - Residential Building

The 2014 residential building in the North Island town of Waikanae, New Zealand, has many distinctive features: With spectacular views of the harbor on the hillside, the resulting gardens are also directly connected to a public park. The expansive nature is also reflected in the design of the building.

As part of research into the flow dynamics of New Zealand's harbor area, studies show both straight and curved courses. This finding was to be reflected throughout the architecture, which is why floor plan and cross-sectional forms of the upper floors are inspired by and derived from these flow dynamics. For the façade, the architects therefore chose titanium zinc from RHEINZINK in the surface quality prePATINA blue-grey. The flexible material can be used particularly well for creative purposes. The metal was laid using the angle standing seam technique, creating a regular rhythm that unifies the shapes of the building. High zinc walls also connect the garages to the residential building. They are provided with openings that extend as an outdoor terrace.

The curved zinc walls enclose the house and provide privacy from the street. Inside, generous glazing on the harbor side provides light flooding and openness.