Rendered perspective of Akatarawa House in Akatarawa Valley
← Residential projects

Residential · Akatarawa Valley, Upper Hutt

Akatarawa House

A family house designed for the rural setting of Akatarawa Valley, evolving from an initial flat-roof concept to a pitched-roof solution better suited to the valley’s high rainfall.

Design evolution

From an initial flat-roof idea to a practical pitched-roof house

The original concept for Akatarawa House explored a low, flat-roof composition with generous glazing and a calm, symmetrical frontage.

As the design developed, the clients opted for a pitched-roof solution as a more practical response to Akatarawa Valley’s relatively high annual rainfall of about 1,800–2,400mm. The built form was therefore reworked to suit those local environmental conditions.

The initial flat-roof concept was later re-envisaged by Stephen for a milder climate setting as the Beachfront House concept.

Initial flat-roof concept — later re-envisaged as the Beachfront House concept

Design drawings

Plan, roof plan and elevations

The drawings record the developed accommodation layout together with the pitched-roof resolution adopted for the Akatarawa Valley site.

Floor plan
Roof plan
Elevations

Selected residential work

Return to the PPL portfolio

Explore further residential, infill housing, alteration, commercial and community projects.

Start a conversation

Planning a project?

Contact Stephen to discuss your site, your brief and the most useful next step.