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Masterspec Specified: Award Winning Bryndwr House One by AO Architecture

22 Sep 2025

Brief Project Summary

Tucked into a secluded rear site behind a mature, tree-lined driveway in leafy Bryndwr, this new family home forms one half of a pair of residences designed with a shared architectural language. Surrounded by lush planting and nestled into its established suburban setting, House One presents a confident vertical expression, softened by its green backdrop and careful massing.

The architecture is anchored by its bold use of vertical cladding, expressed in a single dark tone that accentuates the slender proportions of the structure. The design explores repetition and variation through the placement of full-height windows and deep cantilevers, creating covered entry zones and generous outdoor living spaces.

Project Description

Tucked into a secluded rear site behind a mature, tree-lined driveway in leafy Bryndwr, this new family home forms one half of a pair of residences designed with a shared architectural language. Surrounded by lush planting and nestled into its established suburban setting, House One presents a confident vertical expression, softened by its green backdrop and careful massing.

The house is arranged over two levels, with the main living spaces located at ground floor, offering a mix of private retreats and generous open-plan areas that connect to the landscaped garden and pool zone. Large-format windows frame private views while maintaining a sense of enclosure within the urban setting. The upper level accommodates a suite of bedrooms, each oriented to balance privacy, outlook, and sunlight within the constraints of a built-up neighbourhood. Both homes were conceived as a cohesive architectural composition, with material consistency and detailing across the two forms providing a sense of rhythm and quiet refinement.

Design Features and Creative Solutions

The architecture is anchored by its bold use of vertical cladding, expressed in a single dark tone that accentuates the slender proportions of the structure. The design explores repetition and variation through the placement of full-height windows and deep cantilevers, creating covered entry zones and generous outdoor living spaces. These overhangs required floor-to-ceiling steel trusses, carefully engineered and hidden within the structure, underscoring the ambition of the design and the level of coordination required to achieve its clean silhouette.

A key design move was the restraint shown in material selection. Vertical louvre fins introduce variation and shadow without departing from the singular cladding approach. The junctions between upper and lower forms are finely resolved, including a deliberate separation between parapets and soffits, which required both precision detailing and highly skilled craftsmanship during construction.

Internally, the planning prioritises ease of movement and layered spatial experiences. Circulation is intuitive, with connections between garage, utility, kitchen, and living spaces that support everyday family life. Natural light and ventilation have been thoughtfully integrated throughout, contributing to a home that feels both calm and connected to its environment. In all, House One presents a quiet confidence, an exercise in balance between architectural boldness and contextual sensitivity. .

Project details

Project Bryndwr House One
Location Christchurch
Designer Nicholas Mann
Practice AO Architecture
Photographer Michael John
Awards
  • Regional Award – New Home up to 150m²
  • Highly Commended – Home Interiors
  • Regional ADNZ Resene Kaitiakitanga Award
  • Regional Award – Resene Colour in Design
Source AO Architecture Website
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Message from designer

"We use Masterspec on all our projects due to the ease it creates in writing a specification and in particular its automated updating of project sections.

It allows us to write an accurate specification in a more time efficient manner."

- Nicholas Mann  Director, AO Architecture

 

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