An award-winning solution to the affordable housing crisis

Victoria University of Wellington senior lecturer Sam Kebbell believes the methods behind his award-winning house design can go some way to solving the affordable housing crisis without compromising on style.

Sam Kebbell's White House design.
 

Kebbell’s White House design won an award in the Housing category at the Wellington regional New Zealand Institute of Architecture Awards, a project he worked on in association with the firm ArchitectureLab.

Unique to the project is the low construction cost, achieved through a combination of inexpensive materials and a distinctive architect/client relationship.

The owner approached Kebbell with a specific budget and a high set of expectations for both the building itself and how it could relate to the landscape. Initially, he thought it would be impossible to create the home the owner wanted within the budget available, but was “willing to have a crack at it”.

Kebbell used fibre cement sheet for the exterior of the house. The product is widely used and very affordable, but says Kebbell, “not always particularly elegant”.

However, according to Kebbell, by composing the material carefully and getting the geometries right, the architects were able to make a “very sophisticated little building”.

Catering to the budget constraints was also made possible by focussing the architects’ design attention on the issues with the highest impact, such as the relationship between the house and the land.

Although the owner was involved in decisions relating to the exterior, she played a much larger role inside the house.

“The owner took care of most of the interior design decisions, and even the supply of fittings and materials, such as lighting, kitchen joinery, plumbing fittings and floor surfaces,” says Kebbell. A process he describes as “a mixture of professional service and DIY culture”.

It is this approach to designing and building a house that Kebbell believes could allow architects to become involved in more building projects than they currently are, and have a broader impact across the whole built environment.

“Building this way does not slow construction”, says Kebbell, “but it can require additional lead-in time for planning before building commences.

“It’s about investing in design time. Because of the initial thinking and planning that goes in to the project, you get benefits back for decades, or in the best cases, for centuries.”

Kebbell also believes this team approach adds to the owner’s emotional investment and sense of meaning they can get from their home.

The award-winning home is situated on the Kapiti Coast.