‘Block Party’ co-housing build by six friends is a winner

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Block Party co-housing units by Spacecraft Architects was designed for six friends who wanted an affordable entry into the property market.

David Straight

Block Party co-housing units by Spacecraft Architects was designed for six friends who wanted an affordable entry into the property market.

“An appealing offering for prospective first-home buyers.” That’s just part of the praise heaped upon the “Block Party” co-housing project in Wellington that has just won a Housing – Multi Unit Award in the Wellington Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architecture Awards.

The project, designed by Spacecraft Architects, is a new build by six friends, who, the firm says, clubbed together to “side-step the excesses of the runaway housing market”.

A co-housing project that could be a blueprint for future developments – the building features four terraced houses that fit in with the contour of the site, and are positioned to maximise sun and views.

A large deck off the large shared “loft” provides plenty of space for outdoor living despite the small size of the site - just 600sqm for the four homes.

David Straight

A large deck off the large shared “loft” provides plenty of space for outdoor living despite the small size of the site – just 600sqm for the four homes.

As Spacecraft notes: “Stepped massing provides recesses for private outdoor spaces on the north and south of the homes – there’s somewhere to go whichever way the wind blows.”

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What is even more remarkable, the site is just 600m².

“The common house is situated at the street edge giving life to suburban pavements, while more private shared gardens terrace the eastern slopes of the property,” the architects say.

The NZIA Wellington jury was full of praise for the project: “This triumph of out-of-the-box ideas and collaboration carefully curated by the architect is one-part urban design, one-part innovative architecture.

“Achieved on a modest budget, every design decision responds well to the brief: spatial order, paring back of materials, and the inclusion of intermediary spaces (decks and porches) to convey a generosity of space.

“The inclusion of a loft, accessed via a side stair, and the clients’ choice of colour, paid dividends. An appealing offering for prospective first-home buyers.”

You can see all the 2023 NZIA Wellington award winners here.

Simple materials, including ply and blockwork have helped to keep the build affordable.

David Straight

Simple materials, including ply and blockwork have helped to keep the build affordable.

The Block Party build features four units (in the foreground) and the large glazed pavilion-style shared loft space above the garaging.

David Straight

The Block Party build features four units (in the foreground) and the large glazed pavilion-style shared loft space above the garaging.

Stuff

These six projects all won Housing Awards in the 2023 NZIA Wellington Architecture Awards.

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