The Eastbourne House is a multi-level family home built on a steep bush covered hillside overlooking Wellington Harbour.
The main body of the house is raised high to take in the extraordinary views while also creating a private garden on the lower part of the site. Its sculptural form is like a rock that has been shaped by the elements with a spacious outdoor living terrace carved out of its monolithic form. It is clad in robust black glazed terracotta tiles, their rippled surface enlivening the exterior surface in the sunlight.
Once inside, a bespoke black steel helical stair winds up to the central living level with expansive harbour views, connecting to the sleeping level on the way. The ascending journey through the house is as important as the destination, a stimulating experience as one moves through a sequence of varied spaces and generous volumes. In contrast to the dark enigmatic exterior the interiors are light and airy with pale timber floors and ceilings, creating an atmosphere which is both serene and uplifting.
The Eastbourne house continues the wonderful Wellington tradition of inventive architecture which responds to the extreme terrain, architecture ‘on the edge’. Although architecturally and structurally ambitious, the house functions beautifully as a family home, both robust and restorative, a sanctuary and a theatre for daily life.
