Miramar House, Wellington
The owners of this 1940s residence in Miramar, Wellington, approached Studio Pacific with a brief to extend the existing house and make the most of the hillside site. Tight budget constraints meant that a clever solution was required.
To optimise the existing house, sensitive alterations were made to rationalise circulation, add an extra bedroom and reconfigure the entry space. A new sleeping pavilion was then added, perched over the garden and stepping down below the existing portion of the house to ensure that existing views remain uninterrupted. Encased in a dark metal shell with a yellow inner facing, the pavilion’s confident, retro-inspired geometry was drawn from the client’s collection of retro furniture and objects. Its understated scale and simplicity mean that it remains subtle enough to fit with the existing house. Full-height glazing along the front face reveals a magnificent view over the inner Miramar peninsula.
A glazed stair link connects the main section of the house to the pavilion, which incorporates two bedrooms, a bathroom, a laundry and access to the rear garden and skillfully extends a small house into a flexible, modern home.
Client: Jude Pentecost and Chris Vella
