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Cross-laminated timber reinterpretation of NZ goldminers hut wins 2022 ADNZ Resene Supreme Architectural Design Award.
Nestled in the Punakaiki bush, on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, a modern iteration of a historical goldminer’s hut built from cross-laminated timber (CLT), has won the 2022 ADNZ Resene Supreme Architectural Design Award. (main pic: Biv Punakaiki. Credit: Stephen Goodenough)
The West Coast bush cabin, called Biv Punakaiki, was designed as a prototype holiday retreat by Mitchell Coll of Fabric, in conjunction with the owner, a Hong Kong-based architect – it’s the first in a series of scheduled buildings.
Coll says the bach (pronounced ‘batch’ meaning ‘holiday house’) takes its cues from the exterior chimneys repeated on old goldminer huts.
“Internally, the sky-facing skylight represents the top of the smokestack,” he says.
Like its mining predecessors, the cabin was to have as minimal touch on the land as possible. A concrete floor suspended on only a few concrete piles, with no formal landscaping, promotes the aesthetic of simple living.”
In announcing the award, ADNZ judges called the project an “incredible secluded hideaway”.
“All detailing has been meticulously left minimalist to blur the line between interior and exterior, drawing guests further into the West Coast bush experience.
“The full timber interior surface … is left exposed and clear-finished to represent the historic miners’ hut aesthetic. And the interior is intentionally underlit to promote a relaxing environment at night, and to draw the focus to the central fire and pendant light that mimics the playful shadows of the bush seen during the day.”
Cross-laminated timber was chosen for the cabin’s prefabricated offsite construction, thermal performance and negative embodied carbon.
“The geometry of the exposed CLT structure was critical to get right to ensure elegant detailing on both the interior and exterior faces,” the judges said.
“The aluminium cladding is fully custom folded with all trays to the top portion of the roof fluted to accentuate the form of the building and ensure minimalist detailing.”
