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KARAKA TOWER | Eastbourne, Wellington

KARAKA TOWER

Eastbourne, Wellington

The Karaka Tower, an annex to an existing family home, offers so much more than an additional bedroom and art studio. It provides intrigue and fancy; a place to reflect and retreat; and glimpse of good ol' Kiwi ingenuity and artistry. Nestled amongst the native bush in Eastbourne, Wellington, this modest 9m2 tower is a true reflection of what can achieved by caring craftsman and strong will to prove a concept.

The stacked modular volumes were prefabricated in a factory, then helicopter onto a preformed building platform, through the tree canopy, achieving weathertightness onsite in a single day. A true showcase of architectural, construction and coordination excellence. The exposed interior framing makes users feel like they within a tree house; the outlook unhindered to Te Whanganui-a-Tara. The warm glow of the macrocarpa providing a calm place to rest and create, which the users are sure to do.

What started out as a modest request for a window seat has turned into something more. Something wonderful, whimsical and well executed. The Karaka Tower was awarded a Te Kahui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Wellington Architecture Award 2024 for Small Project Architecture.

Outcomes:
  • Modular prefabricated construction
  • Complicated and challenging site overcome with innovation
  • Responsive to existing house and surrounding nature
https://www.nzia.co.nz/awards/local/award-detail/11392
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