Following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, a large brick 2 storey multi-generational family house fell to the ground. The daughter of the elderly couple who were displaced, bought the heirloom from her siblings and commissioned a new house. The brief was for a house to be built of permanent materials so that it would be resilient to future earthquakes and flooding and would be a new family legacy project with a minimum design life of 200 years. The house is embedded in the context of its seismic geology and family history of the site. The house is an abstract manifestation of the traditional family home that once stood on this land. There were several nostalgic elements of the original house that are memorialised in this new house: brick materiality, an orangery, memory of architectural features and planning, a pool, a tennis court, and its overall relationship to its well-loved and well-established garden. The client has a substantial family collection of contemporary NZ art that is exhibited within the house. The house has low carbon operational systems and a low embodied carbon whole of life outcome. The house builds on the traditions of its ancestors in a socially and environmentally sustainable way for its future generations to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Zed House located?+
Zed House is located in Christchurch, New Zealand. Its coordinates are -43.5310°, 172.6364°.
Can I visit Zed House?+
Zed House is a real building in Christchurch that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.