offSET Shed House is a small family house designed by Irving Smith Architects. The house is located in the coastal community north of Gisborne, New Zealand.
The architect’s description: From a context of accrued bach-esk dwellings in a south facing coastal surf community, a strategy of sequencing building sets (aka surf) was generated to scale new form to its surrounds. Building sets are then offset to allow seasonal living and circulation options for variations in wind and sun exposure.
Summer opens and invites in community; with diagonal movement connecting offset and shaded external spaces. Here living holds minimal interior use, with summer circulation defining informal house boundaries, and the control of sand.
Life then internalises for winter shut down, with high level openings capturing precious northern light and warmth, and offset forms providing shelter to the southern exposure. Photos: Irving Smith Architects, Patrick Reynolds
