Rotopai Residence was designed by Studio MWA and is located in Martinborough, New Zealand. The home is surrounded by low rolling hills against a background of mountains, and has an interior that is warm and comfortable, elegant and cozy. Rotopai Residence is actually a contemporary new farm house build on historic site established over 180 years ago. Project is located on a remote rural plot in South Wairarapa – lower part of New Zealand North Island for one of the larger milk producers on same place where old family home was located and for new project relocated on new site few kilometers away. Weatherstone Family settled on the site in 1830 and is one of the oldest farming families in the area.
The owners required a contemporary design with charm and spirit of HOME but it had to reflect their way of life. Some of imperatives from brief included:
– Big extended family and lots of friends and business partners are often guests and requirements to make new farm residence as entertaining hub (often over 100 people entertain there).
– Guests have to have accommodation and privacy from rest of house.
– Office to be able to run farm business has to accommodate two work stations filing cabinets – storage small wine cellar and in same time have simple access to meeting room space but be easy accessible and visually connected with family part of house.
– Master bedroom locates to catch first morning sun and view on rolling hills in proximity.
– Triple garage to accommodate two cars special motorbike and few farm bikes with space for lots of storage some farms machines filter room for cleaning after arriving from farm and prior entering house toilet etc.
– Separate laundry in close proximity to garage and easy access outside.
– Create separate formal living dining room to accommodate some old
historic furniture and be able entertain inside – locate close to kitchen – family area and be able to combine it together when required or separate it.
– Lots of deck – terraces create easy access outside from most of rooms and create easy indoor outdoor flow totally accessible (wheel chair accessible home).
– Provide lots of space to exhibit all family photos from history and early settlers’ days – home gallery.
– Accommodate collection of ceramic figurines and found solution to exhibit it and show to visitors.
– Incorporate into design something to give flair and unique appearance.
– Try to remain existing historic shed and fire wood storage with vegetable garden and most of old trees to maintain “spirit of site history”.
– Existing old house relocate on another farm and if possible use same site for new farm house.
– Sustainability must be integral part of overall design.
– Incorporate into interior open fires as central focal points but main heating will be under floor heating.
– Roof has to be created to collect water and store into two big water tanks.
– Septic tank with influent field has to be accommodated too.
– Use house orientation to perform as passive solar collector (winter) and with big long eaves protect house from sun in summer.
