Herbst Architects deal with New Zealand's notoriously changeable weather at Norrish House by arranging rooms around a sheltering courtyard…
Located on a large undulating block, Norrish House defines a zone for human habitation that offers respite from the changeable weather by ordering the building around a courtyard.
The courtyard has a series of linked pavilions bounding it on three sides, but is open on the fourth. This open end focuses the occupants' attention on a sweeping view of the countryside.
The pavilions have a layer of sliding cedar shutters on the courtyard side which give the spaces behind privacy that can be playfully adjusted.
An axial element punctures the courtyard. This element with its associated roof and raised ground plane forms the entry on arrival and a formal connection with the site on exit.
