Karori House

The site is located on a newly subdivided rear section of a typically long, narrow and steep Karori lot. DGSE were commissioned to assist with the subdivision, resource consent, building consent, design, and documentation of a new dwelling to knit into the existing urban fabric.

Steep topography provided an exciting design challenge. The outcome provides a pragmatic response to what is possible on challenging Wellington infill sites. The design embraces steep contours and maximises every available square metre of a small site.

This project also investigates sustainable and prefabricated construction techniques, including structurally insulated panels (SIPs) and Passive House design principles. These techniques were employed to construct a home that well and truly exceeds NZBC minimums to create a warm, dry, and healthier home for the occupants with very low running costs.