southcombe architecture

An applied creative practice

southcombe architecture aims to create positive relationships between people and places.

ARCHITECTURE

Architecture effects people and environments. So knowledge of the ways this occurs and the likely effects are key. Southcombe Architecture is a specialist design consultancy that collaborates with people, groups, communities, public bodies, and other design professionals to achieve design outcomes that make a positive difference to environments. Our work includes design consultancy, workshops and feasibility, concept design and drawings, competitions, critique and peer review, seminars and lectures. Our key services are specialist design advice and contributions to boards, panels, organisations, groups, and individuals.

Whanganui isite, and Quay Gallery

Competition winning adaptive reuse of heritage warehouse on the Whanganui rivers edge. Key project in the city redevelopment that links the city to the river and activates its edge.

Simple pleasures. A place in the sun overlooking the river

A competition winning project that when faced with a brief for a new building with a choice of sites, advocated the retention, redesign and remaking of a brilliantly sited, tired, ugly duckling warehouse with an authentic resonant history. The careful negotiation and articulation and expression of new and old has created a beautiful place with a partially restored and partially augmented integrity. It is a visitor centre that has become a destination in its own right.

From Taupo Quay. 3rd generation facade with tall window recesses and new Lightbox bay window.

The Atrium looking across Quay Gallery. Architecture and exhibition furniture design.

Delhi Village, Cohousing

Environmentally and socially sustainable subdivision and housing design.

socially and ecologically sustainable long term community design

Through participatory process, and collaboration we were a part of as design professionals, Delhi Village Cohousing group has realised a vision for collective living on a shared semi rural block of land. Small close north facing lots are clustered in community to minimise the impacts of human settlement on the wider site and maximise the opportunities for social connection to occur. The design is regenerative in its attention to the awareness of the consequences of living on the land and building, and the sustainable intentions. Significant recycling of materials and building has occurred as a part of the wider project. The long term aim is restoration of natural site ecologies. We have also contributed to the design of the common buildings and some of the housing. The house shown is completely built with timber from local sustainable planting, has a rammed earth wall 'winter season' and night core constructed from clays sourced on the site, it substantially produces its own energy, and has integral grey water and composting toilet systems.

Sustainable house planning. Note central North facing Atrium entry to the south with gallery to first floor.

Community building developing design results from participatory workshop.

Entrance verandah and social street front edge

““Mark took the time to understand our lifestyle and values, and listen to our ideas. His concept design became the starting point for a collaborative process that was fun, challenging at times but ultimately rewarding. We love our house which is an idiosyncratic, practical and comfortable delight. It is warm, dry and well ventilated, very strong, and opens out into the world in a wonderful way.””

Long Southern House.

A sinuous, long eel like house on a south sloping site, chasing the sun and views and creating an active interrelationship with its challenging site.

A sinuous, site responsive Eel like, long house on a south facing slope

The house follows a key contour, the sun, and choreographs the panoramic harbor views...The loose yet demanding brief embraced the organic and free flowing, and was ambitious spatially and geometrically. We developed the design and budget at the same time, balancing architectural ambition with a simple technical and aesthetic rigour combined with a detailed understanding of site, its potentials...and the potential joy of living there. Our vision was of a sinuous line, an eel like, long south facing house that reinforces a curving landscape contour at the specific moment the slope eases. The idea choreographs different views of the landscape panorama from within the house, allows unconventional room to room planning, and creates exterior north and east facing courtyards. The planning celebrates domestic ritual and informality of use, blurring public and private spaces in series. It is highly functionally specific although its planning could not be more different to convention. The aquaria and central Fish Room workroom are a ‘rock’ within a stream of enfilade spaces flowing together along the site. Their presence is pervasive, an inevitable destination accessible to the initiated or by invitation.

Developed Design for ‘Eel House’. The house is designed for staged construction and future adaptation and as viewed from the west along the contour.

House stage one as initially constructed.

A Wiggling Eel shape follows the natural ground contours and creates northern outdoor space on a southern slope. Photograph by Fabricio Chicca

Morning courtyard and pond. Photograph by Fabricio Chicca.

From the Eastern side with arrival, morning courtyard and pond, and informal entry direct to living areas. Photograph by Fabricio Chicca.

Length and double curvature curving profile evident from the west along the contour. Photograph by Fabricio Chicca.

Locally-available, simple, robust materials are combined to balance economy, architecture and sustainability. A simple cross-section of three narrow clerestories with flat roof sections between varies across and along the contours to scoop in the available sun, create light-filled passively heated volumes, and simplify construction. Construction uses standard details such as insulated on ground concrete slab and 140 light timber with integral steel frames where needed. Organic double curvature is resolved spatially and geometrically through a series of simple curved walls with truncated radial roof planes to create the impression of double curvature at the ends of the ‘eel’. Staged construction of the design, tendering and construction stages was a key means to manage client expectations and the ambitious design and budget.

View looking downhill to the southeast across the harbour. Photograph Fabricio Chicca.

Conservatory towards Eastern Courtyard. Photograph Fabricio Chicca.

Lounge towards Aquarium, Fish Room beyond, and Conservatory to the right. Photograph Fabricio Chicca.

Kitchen and Breakfast room towards informal entry with curved ceilings and walls. Photograph Fabricio Chicca.

Kitchen and Breakfast Room Photograph Fabricio Chicca.

“Mark did the conceptual design work on the extremely complex home I envisioned. He took the time to understand my often conflicting requirements and came up with a design which was unique, beautiful, and very functional. He also tactfully talked me out of some of my more flaky ideas. I felt that my project became our project. It was a pleasure working with him”

Space defining, Farmhouse.

A Rural house tuned to outdoor living, creating a series of courtyards through its extended pinwheel form.

A space defining, pinwheel house

Houses on open sites are exposed and this is often particularly so for farmhouses. This house is one of a series of country houses that in various ways stretch out to create wings that define sheltered outside spaces. In this case the house also completely encloses a small landscaped courtyard. Whatever the time of day, or season, the house will provide a sheltered covered side creating a transitional place to be between inside and outside.

Concept design 'Table' plan and elevations

North with morning court to the left and afternoon court to the right.

Family living towards landscaped courtyard and kitchen.

“As builders of previous houses it was a big step for us to let go and trust Mark to design this concept. We were amazed by Marks ability to listen and capture how we live now but also design for the future. This design protects us from the sometimes harsh elements of the weather while enhancing the rural views with great attention to detail inside and out. We couldn’t be happier with the design and I personally love the garden court yard in the middle of the house”

khandallah dwelling, remodel.

A reordered house, with a careful, considered, new set of relationships to landscape, and a new internal and external aesthetic character.

Sometimes less really is more. In this case several generations of additions by other architects needed clarifying and editing in an already large house. Our response was to introduce order to the interior through a new vertical stair, a lower circulation bulkhead, a new entry point and by changed uses of several existing spaces. The interior was opening up in a series of linked informal and formal living and entertainment spaces following the light, sun and extraordinary views. The exterior changes linked living to a new north facing series of exterior decks, lawn and garden. Minor additions of an entry and verandah spaces also occurred. A steep pitched roof 70s addition was flattened and a great many windows were removed or redesigned. The resulting home is calmer, more unified, and integrates with its site...

A new vertical stair gives a simple new order and circulation

visual as well as vertical connection...

A simple addition creates a calm and clear entrance

New Kitchen and living areas associated with new outdoor courtyard below

Retrained new entrance links house and competing earlier additions together.

Rear courtyard, decks and landscaping link interior and exterior

Rear addition simplified, integrated aesthetically and connected to the restructured garden — Rear addition simplified, integrated aesthetically and connected to the restructured garden

“Mark had an excellent ability to understand what was needed to be achieved in terms of light and views within the constraints of the current design of the house, while mindful of the cost. As a result he was able to envision a design beyond anything we had imagined, and thanks to Mark being mindful of cost implications and his excellent teamwork and shared understanding with the builder, the project was completed on budget, which was a significant feat. The result we are still amazed by and continue to enjoy daily.”

— Client for Khandallah Dwelling

St Brigids Church, Community Centre, Fielding.

Contemporary, Catholic, Church Architecture, focused on facilitating and connecting to community. Includes exterior artwork collaboration with artist Robert Jahnke.

contemporary catholic church and community centre

Churches today are very different to the past. They operate throughout the week serving a diverse range of community activities demanding spaces that do double duty and operate for a range of overlapping uses. This church is one of a series of church designs that develop a range of extendable adaptable spaces to balance sacred and social space in a manner intended to facilitate formation of community. A combination of collaboration with artist Robert Janhke for the external artworks, and an opening up of interior spaces to external view gives a Church with a contemporary accessible presence grounded in place and culture.