Best in show
The Landmark Homes Pāpāmoa showhome is designed to dazzle
The Landmark Homes Pāpāmoa showhome is designed to dazzle.
Words Nicky Adams
When you build your own home it’s not just the result that’s unique, but also the experience itself. The ability to pick your very own slice of land and tailor-make the perfect property to match can be a wonderful journey. Like any adventure it’s unlikely to come without its challenges, which is why so many people opt to bring on board a building company – to not only navigate the rocky bits, but also to guide from beginning to end.
Knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming – with ideas flying from every direction – which is why talking to professionals at a building company can clear the wood from the trees. Looking at something concrete is often all that’s needed; for inspiration, the best place to start is undoubtedly a showhome. It not only gives a good gauge of the quality of the build, but also offers a chance to get to know the people behind the brand. The new Landmark Homes showhome at 5 Forstera Way, Palm Springs, Pāpāmoa is a truly special example that exhibits how the seamless relationship between the client and Carly and Logan Stewart, Landmark Homes' Bay of Plenty owners, can result in a residence that is everything the client dreamed of.
Carly and Logan have been the Landmark Bay of Plenty franchise owners/operators since 2018. With a combination of industry experience and love of a challenge, their approach is very client centric. They enjoy not just the physical build, but also the building of relationships, which, they say, starts from the very first meeting.
The Pāpāmoa showhome was an interesting project, in many ways defining new beginnings for those it was built for. A Hong Kong-based family had found their perfect section, but as they were still in a transitional phase, opted to build their dream home with Landmark Homes who had the ability to lease it back to be used as a showhome until the time the family were ready to move in. This made the project particularly exciting for Carly and Logan; usually with a showhome the building company would have carte blanche. In this instance there was a dual purpose, as the result would not just have to reflect the Landmark brand, but most importantly be the ultimate home for their client.
As the family were still in Hong Kong, client meetings about everything from floor plans to design inspiration were held with Carly and Logan over Zoom. Despite the distance, bonds were formed. Nutting down on
a style was an area of creative free flow – the couple loved the Hamptons style, but were also drawn to a coastal vibe. Merging two quite different feels was a masterclass in design. Cladding was an important element, with James Hardie Linear Weatherboard adding the perfect Hamptons vibe. Clean lines, clever use of natural light, and a neutral/white colour palette lock in the look.
As Carly pointed out “with aspects of the style we did well to drive it in the direction of the Hamptons /coastal aesthetic. The landscaping was an important part of this, and we worked with a local landscaper to get the plantings right – it has quite structured Hamptons styled gardens intertwined with less structured, more natural coastal plantings. To bring those two together and make a story through the landscaping has been a real added feature. When you step onto the deck and walk around the entire house the landscaping speaks beautifully to the interiors.”
The Design and Build process is an involved one. For the Pāpāmoa showhome: “We started with what the clients wanted. We work with different local architects and designers, picked depending on the client. Some of the styles we can see require certain designers; some might be suited to contemporary versus traditional. Our expertise comes in pairing up the right designer for the right job.” Once the plans had been confirmed, Carly was really thrilled. “It has a wonderful light, bright, warm feel. It’s actually the first single level showhome we’ve built since we brought the business seven years ago. I walked through it when the frame was up; I love airy spaces with natural light and airflow – everyone picks up on it.”
A three-bedroom home, spanning a spacious 261m2, is a great size. The design is thoughtful with consideration to the family dynamic, the master bedroom is on the opposite side from the children’s bedrooms, and there’s plenty of opportunity for growth. The reaction, Carly says, has been gratifying: “Everyone loves that the Pāpāmoa showhome is set
up for entertaining, and with it all being single level it pours out. There are huge glass sliders with great flow for entertaining and family living. It really does have a special feel – it’s a great place for a party!” Of course, the ultimate opinion lies with the clients themselves. They, Carly said, “were just mouth wide open – they loved it. They were quite overwhelmed and excited and just really looking forward to living in it.” And for Carly and Logan? “It’s a product we’re so, so happy to showcase.”
Looking through the showhome and gathering ideas is without doubt the best way to kickstart the thought process, but once potential customers are at this stage, fizzing with inspiration, where to next? Carly is very clear about the importance of the process for people, which is why a year ago Landmark moved into a purpose-built commercial office space in Matakokiri Drive, Tauriko. “We went into a brand new custom fit out; it’s in a huge warehouse so we can house tiles and product. The main idea was to have a lovely reception and a large selection room. There’s a 3D walkthrough, projected onto an 85-inch TV, where you can walk through the home plans. It’s a fully interactive experience, as well as being in this beautiful room with gorgeous products that people can touch and feel, with mood boards set up. We wanted to have something custom for the clients. It’s important they go through the showhome first – it’s a way for them to see what we do, then we set up a meeting
for them to come into the office with the selection room.” Circling back to the emphasis Carly and Logan place on the relationship side of the process, Carly sees it as an important step. “You get to meet the team and have a sensory experience of the selection room. It helps the process along to reassure them of the kind of company we are and what kind of product we turn out.”
The tight-knit team is a vital component of the dynamic, with Lisa as general manager, and Jeremy as construction operations manager. Together they thrive on the thrill of not just the straightforward jobs, but also the more difficult ones. Carly reflects: “We have got a bit of a name for taking on the more challenging projects – the long skinny sites, the sloping sections; and the building clientele who may have made a big investment in the land – we are then equally invested in helping them realise their dreams.”
Ultimately, says Carly, “everyone wants different things. One of the great things about Landmark Homes is that we’re New Zealand owned and we’ve been going for more than 45 years – and Landmark was founded in Tauranga where we still have our national office, which is quite special. A lot of people know it’s a tried and trusted brand. This instils confidence; people know they’re able to utilise our architecturally inspired Ready to Build plan collection, which has over 100 designs they can browse. For us it’s not about numbers – it’s quality over quantity.”
Showhome: 5 Forstera Way, Pāpāmoa
Solid Foundations
A time-honoured building system in Europe is being utilised to craft homes that embody a heritage-worthy essence.
A time-honoured building system in Europe is being utilised to craft homes that embody a heritage-worthy essence.
Words Casey Vassallo
Photos Jahl Marshall
Homes are meant to be sanctuaries of security, comfort and lasting memories, where loved ones gather to create cherished moments to last generations. At least this is the dream Chris and Robyn MacPherson are striving to create for more people with Stellaria, a company dedicated to premium building materials.
Chris, who started out in landscape architecture, established MacPherson Architecture in 2000 and has been designing thoughtful high-end and lifestyle homes for over 25 years. On the other hand, Robyn was studying law when the Great Recession of 2008/09 hit and made the pivotal decision to come into the fold. Together, they form an exceptional team with a passion for alternative building materials.
Along the way, the couple have designed homes using all systems such as concrete, mudblock and rammed earth – but much of it was arduous according to Robyn. That all changed when they discovered Porotherm clay block from Wienerberger, an Austrian-founded company.
“We both looked at it and by the extruded honeycomb nature of the
block, we could just see immediately how it worked,” Robyn says. “We could see that it had the ability to do everything we try so hard to achieve.” From there, they began nurturing a relationship with Wienerberger to become their New Zealand partner, and in late 2014 Stellaria launched.
Porotherm clay blocks are a structural walling system that can be used in place of materials like timber frame with insulation. Imported from France, there’s a main Porotherm clay block, a portal block, and a lintel block, each taking on an intricate honeycomb matrix structure. Only the portals and lintels are filled with steel and concrete to form the structural elements, being a confined masonry construction system. The rest are installed as a typical concrete block, bound using a Dryfix adhesive instead of mortar. The exterior of the home can then be clad in any fashion, to meet the New Zealand Building Code.
“It's such a simple, efficient system. There's very little complexity around
the walls, and the blocks go up really fast,” Robyn says. It’s said to be faster to construct a building from Porotherm, and a site uses less water and produces less waste given it’s a straight-forward and natural product. “This building system actually forms the majority of the buildings in Europe, and it's been around for 150 years in this extruded form,” Robyn claims.
What stands out about the system is its performance in passive heating
and cooling, high acoustic insulation, ventilation and moisture management. “The clayblocks are breathable with interior lime plaster, which is antiseptic, so as the air moves into the building, it's cleaning the air and we've got 100 percent natural indoor air quality,” says Robyn.
She adds most New Zealand homes will fall to around eight to 12 degrees overnight, whereas a Porotherm home retains the heat in winter and keeps cool in the summer. “It takes 12 hours for the heat and cool to move across that block, and it also moves moisture, so the blocks are breathing,” Robyn explains. “Our clients say living in these homes, it just doesn't go below 18 degrees without any heating.”
Clay is also the perfect material to create a quiet shelter – a naturally effective acoustic solution. “When you're inside it, it's quite cave-like. It just has a density around it and a peacefulness that is hard to describe until people get into it.”
By using an all-round material like this, you can reduce the need for all the extras we’ve come to rely on to make a home comfortable, like ventilation systems, dehumidifiers, heaters and air conditioning.
The best way to get a sense of everything Porotherm can do is at Stellaria’s first showhome, which opened this year on Swayne Road in Cambridge. There, they’ve used a mix of Stellaria clay brick cladding and breathable plaster with mineral paints by Resene Construction Systems on the exterior. Lime plaster is used to finish the walls inside, which has a venetian-like finish with an artisanal quality to it and is extremely smooth to touch – almost glass-like.
“The showhome is about all the products we import from Weinerberger and is the first in a medium-density development of duplex and detachable high-performance homes – we call it Swayne Village,” Robyn says. “These buildings will still be standing in 400 years time, which we don't see in New Zealand really.”
That’s what drives Chris and Robyn – the need for design to be backed by materials that will last the distance. “It's about knowing you've got an asset that not only has a better capital value but also is something that can be handed down. It's intergenerational, it's multigenerational. It's not a house, it's a forever home.”
Robyn says that in New Zealand, we should be following in Europe’s footsteps with products like Porotherm to avoid issues such as leaky homes and crying windows, which can lead to serious health issues. Because where you spend your time is as important to your health as what you put into your body. “We talk a lot about eating well, good water, sleeping well, reducing your pharmaceuticals, so [a healthy Porotherm home] is an extension of what people are trying to do with clean living.”
Stellaria is supplying a host of mid- to high-end projects from Mangawhai to Queenstown. But this product is for every home, despite the perception that building with it is going to be more expensive. The fact is, it’s comparable with a 140mm timber-frame build, at roughly $4,500-$5,500 per m2 to build.
“We're delivering something in which people will get much more for their money, and they should. Because it's the biggest emotional and financial investment,” Robyn says. “We not only believe in the integrity of the build, and the honesty in the building materials, we won't design in timber frame anymore.” Weinerberger warrants the design life of the Porotherm block at 150 years but the building will last well beyond that.
The plight to change the game is very much a family affair, too. All four of Chris and Robyn’s sons play a part in the businesses. Jonty heads up marketing for Stellaria, while Thomas lends his IT knowhow wherever it’s needed. Benjamin and Geordie recently finished building Geordie and wife Cassandra’s own Porotherm home in Taupō. Cassandra, of Cassandra Swan Interiors, also covers interior design projects like their showhome.
As with anything new or innovative, it takes time to build momentum and get people on board. Stellaria is in the process of setting up a showroom in the Home Ideas building and design showroom in Auckland, showcasing all eight of their Wienerberger products, including bricks, cladding, roof tiles and paving.
They are also working on an online resource called BlockBuild to connect people considering creating a home using Porotherm with architects, engineers and builders in their area, across New Zealand. Because Robyn and the team see each Porotherm build as its own promise. “The promise of performance, longevity, durability, and of good health,” she says. “That's why we love it, because we know that it's going to work. It's going to keep its promise.”