Houzz Tour: Warehouse Home Goes from Disaster to Triumph
A New Zealand family beats the odds 3 times when its loft apartment is threatened with demolition after a series of earthquakes
Making their home in the building that once served as the Lyttelton Rugby clubhouse was a dream come true for New Zealanders Alex and Kris Herbert. They installed their handmade-ski factory in the basement and set about converting the upstairs into an open-plan loft apartment for themselves and their son.
The dream almost ended when three earthquakes damaged the structure and brickwork and local authorities deemed the 1913 building uninhabitable. Rebuilding meant partially demolishing the structure and saving valuable materials such as the steel trusses and an open-tread rimu wood staircase. Architect Max Capocaccia then helped transform the space to embrace the views of the hills and port of Lyttelton.
The dream almost ended when three earthquakes damaged the structure and brickwork and local authorities deemed the 1913 building uninhabitable. Rebuilding meant partially demolishing the structure and saving valuable materials such as the steel trusses and an open-tread rimu wood staircase. Architect Max Capocaccia then helped transform the space to embrace the views of the hills and port of Lyttelton.
The rectangular simplicity of the building is enhanced by cedar woodwork fitted with acoustic double-paned glass. “We had to design to lessen the noise of an industrial port and surrounding pubs,” explains Capocaccia, who minimized openings at the rear of the property. The exterior decking is bamboo.
The original pine flooring was retained where possible. The expansive volume of the space called for a generous picture window to match the scale. The comings and goings of Lyttelton’s port make for a dynamic scene that glitters at night.
The rimu wood staircase, originally in the basement, was repositioned to lead to the mezzanine. It can be difficult to furnish a house this size, but the owners are slowly gathering the soft furnishings and artwork to help transform the large spaces. They were pleased to give a new home to the Wunderbar sign, which was being thrown out by a quirky local institution.
The steel framework of the building lends a visual rhythm to the expansive space. The walls were built from a lightweight SIP, or structural insulated panel. “A progression of windows on the west facade feature tilt-and-swing technology to allow ventilation,” Capocaccia says. “The strengthening of the wooden roof trusses was achieved with rusted metal bolts and exposed plates.” The ceilings are lined in bamboo wallpaper, which helps with soundproofing.
The mezzanine in the open-plan loft area contains the couple’s bedroom, an en suite and a small office. The salvaged-wood trusses, which needed to be strengthened, lend a wonderful sense of history. “The volumes have been designed to create hiding spaces and targeted views,” Capocaccia says. “Although it’s a big, open footprint, there are areas, such as a private nook in the living zone, where the owners can feel protected and sheltered.”
The master bath is positioned beneath a skylight to allow bathing with a starlight view.
Pool tiles feature in the shower, and the sink was a Trade Me find that cost the homeowners less than a dollar. The bathroom downstairs is one of only three traditional “rooms” in the house. Obi’s bedroom and a guest room are the two others.
The colorful tiles on the kitchen wall are pool tiles that Kris discovered online. The couple bartered with a tiling friend, who helped out in exchange for some building materials. The bar stools lend family-friendly warmth and a sense of fun. “We found the stools on Trade Me and repainted them with steel paint,” Kris says. Jarrah wood posts, reclaimed from the basement after the earthquakes, have been reused in the kitchen island and the cabinetry.
The guest bedroom gets some privacy from a rolling barn door. Its distressed paintwork is in keeping with the warehouse feel. The painting behind the bed is by Malcolm Terry, a friend of the couple.
Next door is Obi’s bedroom. The steelwork here was painted in primary colors to add to the feeling of fun. The room also features some well thought-out storage, though the couple mainly use space in the downstairs ski factory, as well as an on-site garage, for their extra bits and pieces.
When Obi isn’t playing in his bedroom, he can often be found on a swing that hangs from the rafters in the living room.
Four years after earthquakes nearly destroyed their vision, the Herberts are again living and working happily in this history-filled warehouse, thanks to resilience, elbow grease and a little help from their friends.
Tell us: Has your home been affected by a natural disaster? How has it recovered? Let us know in the Comments.
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Four years after earthquakes nearly destroyed their vision, the Herberts are again living and working happily in this history-filled warehouse, thanks to resilience, elbow grease and a little help from their friends.
Tell us: Has your home been affected by a natural disaster? How has it recovered? Let us know in the Comments.
Browse more homes by style: Small Homes | Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes | Homes Around the World
Who lives here: Kris and Alex Herbert and their 6-year-old son, Obi
Location: Lyttelton, New Zealand
Size: 4,080 square feet (379 square meters)
Designer: Architect Max Capocaccia
“The layout creates a feeling of openness towards the south facade and a more sheltered, intimate area at the back of the building,” architect Max Capocaccia says of this transformed home.
Sunlight reflects off the glass-covered north face of the building. “We designed an enormous steel and cedar facade to make the most of the views of the harbor,” he says. The window was built by Optimal Windows at its factory on New Zealand’s North Island, then shipped piece by piece to the South Island site.