Project Type: Residential
Location: Omaha Beach, New Zealand
The word ‘stealth’ comes to mind when approaching this home from a distance, but as one gets closer, the carefully detailed black timber screen slowly reveals its domestic interior and invites one in. A two storey timber bookshelf divides up the two gabled forms with sleeping quarters to the East and living quarters to the West. The proposed internal palette of white solid surfaces and natural oak create spaces that have a sense of lightness and warmth.
Photographs by Simon Wilson
Type: Residential Alteration (Significant)
Location: Mt Eden, Auckland
2023 HOME Interior of the Year Winner - Peoples Choice Award
2023 HOME Interior of the Year Finalist
The client wanted a carefully crafted interior that was sympathetic to the heritage exterior, of which their current interiors were not. Without changing the exterior footprint, we have managed to create the illusion of increased space by opening it up and connecting the living spaces to the outdoor spaces, with large steel joinery openings and rationalising the floor levels. A master suite was added within the roof space.
The kitchen and dining areas were opened up and brought down to the lounge level to create them to a newly created outdoor patio that helped make the petite home feel bigger. The windows within the realm of the kitchen were replaced and detailed to both fit in with the kitchen and the overall renovation.
For the interiors we worked closely with a wonderful client to create a simple and yet elegant palette that included herringbone oak flooring, carrara marble, solid walnut cabinetry, fluted glass and brass. Having a client who was detail oriented helped us create something that was meticulously detailed with an uncomplicated feel.
The home has been photographed by Simon Wilson.
Project Type: Residential
Awards: 2023 HOME Interior of the Year Finalist
Location: Mangawhai Heads, New Zealand
Style: Japandi (Japanese + Scandinavian)
Designed as a prefabricated modular structure, this perfectly understated bach seamlessly integrates cuboid forms with Japanese influences.
This modular treehouse has been created using the macrocarpa trees that were originally grown on the site. The proposed internal layering of light coloured woods create spaces that have a sense of lightness and warmth.
The bathrooms in particular have been inspired by Japanese onsens, reflective of the owner’s time spent living in Osaka, Japan. Operable screens on the exterior of the home allow the bathrooms to be completely open to the rural landscape or closed with light pouring down through the full size skylight above the shower space. The toilet is shielded from view so that the full sized opening of louvred windows can be open all day. The space is kept fairly minimal except a warm rose coloured pendant light by Monmouth Glass Studios.
Photographs no. 4 - 9 have been taken by by Simon Wilson. All other photographs have been taken by Jo Aitken.
https://homemagazine.nz/six-by-six/
Type: Residential
Size: 400 sqm / 4,300sqft
Location: Breamtail, Mangawhai Heads, New Zealand
Status: Built
This new, single level courtyard home, sits atop a gentle hill on a coastal farm, surrounded in beautiful views of the sea to the North and East and rural views to the West and South. The exterior is clad in black stained timber and makes minimal visual impact on the natural landscape. The interior concrete walls that line the courtyard space provide a strong anchor for the home against the strong winds and weather it is exposed to at times. The square plan of the house wraps itself around a central courtyard that provides a sheltered haven with views through the house in all directions.
We carried out the Interior design for this project including selection of finishes, bathroom and kitchen design and furniture selection. In some areas, the client layered their own flavour of animal prints and patterns on top of a more minimal scandinavian style base. The architecture for this project was designed by Studio John Irving. The photographs have been taken by Simon Wilson.
Hard fitout (bathrooms, kitchen, storage, curtains, seating selection by Atelier Aitken)
Soft furnishings (cushions, rugs and loose decor) selected by others.
Type: Residential Alteration (Significant)
Location: Point Chevalier, Auckland
Completed in 2018, Atelier Aitken worked closely with architects Studio John Irving and the client Rickie Dee, owner of Fashion and Design store, Superette, to create a contemporary extension to this suburban bungalow. Although the increase in footprint is minimal, the scale of impact is significant.
Project Type: New build Residential
Designed in Denmark for a Danish client, this Scandinavian inspired split level gabled home with sleeping quarters to the East and living quarters to the West. The proposed internal palette of natural oak and white solid surfaces create spaces that have a sense of lightness and warmth. The tranquil family home opens into farmland, which is located within a busy city.
(To be photographed)
Project Type: Residential Alteration
Location: Seattle, Washington
This is an interior remodel of a 2000 sq ft (200 sqm) apartment in Seattle. The main challenge for the design was to get enough natural light into the 60ft (20m) deep floor plan and of course meet a tight budget. This challenge was increased as we were not allowed to modify any external fenestration and locations of plumbing elements.
A series of sliding black framed glass partitions with recessed black timber blinds and black sheer curtains allow light and views through the whole depth of the apartment while providing various levels of privacy.
The material palette is kept fairly neutral and consists of white washed timber floors, matt white and black surfaces, carrara marble and dimmable lighting throughout.
One of our favourite parts is designing bespoke furniture, both large and small, for our projects. This oak bookcase runs double height across two storeys with the stair treads cantilevering from it and supported by steel rods.
Photographs by Simon Wilson
Type: Residential
Size: 365 sqm / 4,000 sqft
Location: Tara Iti Golf Course, New Zealand
Status: Built
This new, single level courtyard home, is nestled next to Tara Iti Golf Course, surrounded with distant views of the sea to the North and East and rural views to the West and South. The exterior is clad in natural timber and makes minimal visual impact on the natural landscape. The square plan of the house wraps itself around a central courtyard that provides a sheltered haven with views through the house in all directions.
The home is finished in high quality natural materials throughout and has been created for an executive family to relax and entertain their family and friends after days of golf.
All architecture and Interior design (hard fit-out including bathrooms, kitchens, storage, finishes and curtains) by Atelier Aitken.
Soft furnishings / loose decor selected by others.
Project Type: Mixed Use Residential + Commercial
Client: Richie Hawtin
Location: Berlin, Germany
There is a 'ruinous' quality about this building that reflects the site's sombre history. It is the site of a former apartment building that was bombed during World War II.
The new building is massed as a 25 metre high concrete volume to tie in visually with the surrounding concrete apartments. The large ‘planted’ cut outs help to reduce the interior footprint and perceived scale of the building.
This project is a proposal for a mixed use development for a prominent electronic DJ based in Berlin.
This 1200sqm brief comprised of music studios, a gallery, offices, a guest apartment, a penthouse apartment and roof terrace.
The first floor has a large gallery space that the owner will open intermittently to the public. It is also to be used for events and dance parties.
We were commissioned in 2018 to design the headquarters for new Football Media Company, Otro, in London, UK, as started up by David Beckham. Otro brings together 17 of the world’s superstar footballers on one media platform including Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
The design is based on our contemporary design principals that we explored in our future workplace research project, which includes biophilic and sustainable design principals, flexible workspace design and the integration of emerging technologies.
As a new company, there had been a limited amount of visual branding carried out prior to our commission and so we wanted the architectural design to emanate the brand through integrated branding elements and by creating the right balance between a space that felt sporty and yet sophisticated and premium at the same time.
Project Type: Hotel and Leisure facilities
Located 45 minutes from New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, this natural phenomenon offers a huge opportunity for the site owners to help revitalise the once iconic and vibrant seaside town and also to provide a type of facility that is not currently available in New Zealand. Stage one, shown here, involves the development of a seaside 200 key hotel, with thermal baths and conference facilities. Stage Two will involve the redevelopment of the existing family oriented water park and town centre.
For centuries before European settlement, indigenous Maori travelled to the therapeutic thermal waters to relax and heal themselves. Bones littered the beach, evident of tribal battles that occurred for possession of the area and its precious water.
It was common to see up to 3000 Maori people at a time soaking in the naturally hot water by digging holes in the sand and letting water seep in.
We have designed a series of Chromatherapy tricolour pendants that have been beautifully crafted by Monmouth Glass Studio.
This project explores the design of modular, prefabricated low cost housing and how they can come together to create better amenity for the home owners as well as safer and more inclusive communal spaces.
The proposed terrace homes are on a 6x12m module and vary from 72 - 144sqm. The modular system creates very little construction waste. The repetitive and modular nature of prefabrication allows cost efficiency as well as speed, in comparison to traditional construction methods.
The vertical steel cladding to the exterior and timber sheet cladding to the interior gives these homes a high level of durability and low level of maintenance.
The A-Frame is our simplest and most cost effective prefabricated building. When oriented correctly it also offers the opportunity to place several solar panels on the roof, allowing the dwelling to be largely self-sufficient in terms of power.
