The Treehouse

Images Simon Wilson

Finalist in the 2024 BEST Awards for Residential Architecture and the 2023 HOME Interior of the Year Awards, this sustainable family home is a forward-thinking project
by Jo Aitken, Principal Architect of Atelier Aitken.

In response to the growing pressures
of rising living costs and environmental concerns this project aimed to make sustainable, high-quality architecture more affordable and accessible to New Zealand families. “I believe that attempting to address these issues has become an important part of the job,” comments Jo.

Sustainability played a key role throughout, with Jo’s clients keen to explore prefabricated design as a solution for the local market. The vision was to create a home that could serve as a model for others, designed with flexibility in mind to suit various family needs and site conditions; informing much of the design process, as well as engineering.

The client also sought a home with a strong social focus, seamless connections to
the outdoors, limited technology, and the capacity to accommodate large gatherings. Drawing from their time spent living in Japan, the desire was a design that reminded them of Japan while creating a sense of home.

Atelier Aitken responded by developing a modular design, based on a 6m x 6m grid where every element fits within the modular system. This modular approach not only minimises construction waste but also provides the flexibility to easily scale and adapt the design to various configurations.

The client’s desire for Japanese influences provided both conceptual and practical inspiration. Known for its modularity, wood craftsmanship, and strong connection to nature, traditional Japanese architecture informed many aspects of the design. Timber was selected as the main building material for both environmental and aesthetic reasons. Timber slats throughout the house nod to Japanese influence and offer an elegant solution for providing shade and privacy, while traditional Japanese wood-joining techniques influenced the structure and junction detailing, engineered by Constructure.

Located just north of Mangawhai, the
home complements its rural surroundings with an intentional simplicity. All elements were sustainably and locally sourced
where possible with timber for the ceilings sourced on site and milled by the clients. Known as ‘The Treehouse,’ the home’s name reflects the removal of trees that had previously blocked sunlight from the site. Native planting along the northern boundary adds privacy, while the home opens out
to expansive farmland to the east, south, and west.

The home’s layout creates distinct private realms for the master suite and children’s suite, connected by a larger social area, the public space, in the centre. The boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces are intentionally ambiguous, allowing life to flow effortlessly between the two. A translucent canopy extending over the kitchen and dining areas, creates sheltered outdoor living, perfect for gatherings or play even in poor weather, and allows sunlight to really transform the space from early morning until night fall.

Inside, the home is a study in simplicity. The bedrooms are minimalist, wood-lined spaces, featuring unadorned walls, paper lanterns, and high-quality linens. The bathing areas feel like Japanese onsens, with two outdoor showers and two indoor showers that can open up completely to the outdoors. An outdoor zen garden designed for starlit relaxation completes the home.

“When designing, I pay careful attention to the dimensions and geometry, to ensure that the home is not only more sustainable but also more beautiful," says Jo. Grounded in simplicity, elegance, and environmental responsibility, ‘The Treehouse’ is a true reflection of this philosophy.

www.AtelierAitken.org | jo@AtelierAitken.com

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A Decade of Seamless Design and Build