WESTMORLAND

Perched on the Port Hills above Christchurch, this two-level new home navigates one of the city's most demanding topographies with a design that turns constraint into character. The site falls steeply — some seven metres across the building platform — and the design exploits this differential to create a split-level home where each floor inhabits a distinct relationship with the land and the views beyond.

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The lower level, at 89.81m², is embedded into the hillside and accommodates the garage, laundry, mud porch, and master suite — complete with en-suite and built-in storage. The entry, positioned at mid-slope, connects the two levels via an open stair and visual bridge element. The upper level, at 137.56m², lifts clear of the hillside to capture full northern light and the city panorama, housing an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living zone that spills onto a generous terrace and deck. Three further bedrooms, a bathroom, and a separate WC complete the upper floor, all arranged to ensure privacy without sacrificing the sense of openness that makes this site exceptional. The bridge and stair become genuine spatial moments rather than mere circulation — connections that offer glimpses through the section and reinforce the layered relationship between the two levels.

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Externally, the form is composed of two distinct horizontal planes: a dark-clad lower base that anchors to the hillside, and a lighter upper volume that cantilevers and projects over it. This stratification gives the home a strong sculptural identity when viewed from below while ensuring it doesn't dominate the ridgeline when seen from above. Flat roof forms with low pitches maintain minimal visual bulk within the Port Hills landscape — a sensitive and well-reasoned response to a site category that requires it.