Winning home is a masterpiece

Photo: SEAN DICK

PANORAMA: The view from the living area across Karaka Bay.

A “stunning” Glendowie home with sprawling views has been named the Registered Master Builders house of the year.

The three-storey “masterpiece” built by PSL Construction won the award at a black tie gala at SkyCity Convention Centre on Saturday. It also won the title for the best new home costing over $1 million and the Gib Living Solutions award.

PSL Construction owner Phil Leach says the win feels “pretty damn good”.

“It’s the first home we’ve put in and we felt it was something special right from the start so we made sure we did a good job.”

His favourite feature is the atrium, which works as an entrance, extends the lounge space for large gatherings and connects parts of the house horizontally and vertically.

“But there are some pretty great aspects from the outside as well.”

Large sliding doors open up the lounge and dining area to honed concrete terraces that lead into a view across Karaka Bay to Browns Island.

An outdoor room with a fireplace sits adjacent to a pool.

Mr Leach says the home has an ambience that’s hard to appreciate from the photographs.

“It feels really good too. Although it’s quite a big home it doesn’t feel huge.”

National judge Guy Evans says the house is “an absolute masterpiece”.

“The degree of difficulty and detailing required of the builders was a real test of their skills and one that was delivered to the letter.”

Construction began in October 2006 and was completed by August last year. Designed by Andrea Bell of Pete Bossley Architects, it also won a New Zealand Institute of Architecture award last month.

Mr Leach says the owners, who wish to remain anonymous, are “over the moon”.

- © Fairfax NZ News