Built to last
With high density building on the rise, living in a townhouse is increasingly becoming the norm. Abode profiles a recently completed example, just north of Christchurch’s picturesque city centre.
WORDS Kathy Catton PHOTOGRAPHY Sarah Rowlands
To truly understand this build, you need to look below ground level. It’s what’s beneath the surface that makes this property unique. Known as an ‘in-ground’ concrete ring beam, the reinforced concrete is designed to provide ample support to the blockwork foundation. The ring beam surrounds the foundation and walls are built upon the ring, which increases the load capacity for the walls.
It’s an alternative to traditional foundations, requiring less labour and less construction. Ruben Bunting, project manager for these townhouses, explains more.
“It’s a cost-effective solution, as it eliminates the need for hard fill and traffic management,” says Ruben. “Driven piles would have been so noisy for the neighbours, and I didn’t want to put them through that. They’ve been through enough of that with earthquakes.”
LandTech Consulting was proud to work alongside structural engineers at Lewis and Barrow and was instrumental in determining the most suitable foundation option for this development. LandTech Consulting’s owner and founder Dwayne conducted the geotechnical assessment.
“The site was challenging due to layers of peat at depths between 2.4 m and 3.6 m,” says Dwayne. “It was important that the buildings be founded on natural soil without putting undue pressure on the weak peat layers at depth. In conjunction with the engineers, we needed to come up with a primarily lightweight (timber) design, on a grid of concrete foundation beams that can be easily re-levelled in any future major earthquake.”
CLADDING WITH LONGEVITY A stunning combination of vertical black aluminium and Rockcote Cerano plaster has been used on the exterior.
Steve from Lewis and Barrow, consulting civil and structural engineers, provided a design for the foundations, steel beams, timber bearers and joists to the floors, steel frames and wall bracings and suspended timber floors for the units with a floating concrete floor foundation. The in-ground beam picked up the perimeter reinforced concrete foundation walls and internal timber piles, as well as providing support to a 150 mm thick garage floor slab.
“A significant feature of this project is the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels for some of the floors,” says Steve. “These panels allow larger spans to be used for timber floors without the extra depth of joists required for conventional timber construction. It’s an affordable solution for the site and one we think the homeowners will find very appealing.” Ruben agrees, saying, “I would definitely use this product again.”
The result of all this fundamental preparatory work is a sleek set of four townhouses: two being three-bedrooms, one being two-bedrooms. The units sit in harmony with the local surroundings and fit beautifully into the emerging Christchurch landscape.
“We made one significant cladding change to the ‘standard’ townhouses you can buy in Christchurch currently,” says Ruben. “I chose a vertical black aluminium cladding for a sense of longevity. ”
Ruben worked with TK Plastering to create this long-lasting, sleek exterior for the home. Ruben is very pleased with the job and is happy with the choice of product.
LOW MAINTENANCE LIVING These structurally sound, easy-living units fit beautifully into the emerging Christchurch landscape.
“We plastered and painted this project with the Resene Construction (Rockcote) system,” says Tyson Keats, Director at TK Plastering. “The concrete effect that stands out so much on this project is Rockcote’s Cerano. It is a much-desired tilt slab look and one that pulls this job together.”
The membrane roofing was the job of Membrane Masters Roofing and comprised of a Viking 1.5 mm black butylclad. Stacey of MM Roofing states that, “The thicker 1.5 mm butyclad option will outlast its warranty of 20 years, no problem.” The finish in black also helps with the colour contrast of the rest of the home and provides a rubber membrane which resists ageing from heat, sunlight and ozone.
Ruben found all his subcontractors were brilliant to work with, and MM Roofing was no exception.
The team at Trends Kitchens worked together to deliver a modern, high-quality kitchen.
“We were asked to ensure that the windows were kept as a key feature,” says Moana of Trends Kitchens. “This is perfect for us, as all of our work is bespoke, and we can work to any measurements.”
Known for its Tristone 100 per cent acrylic solid surfaces, Trends recommended a Pure White benchtop and contrasted that with a Bestwood Black in a Timberland Finish for the cupboard fronts to provide contrast and texture. The Stefano Orlati matt black handles blend with the cupboard fronts and provide a modern finish.
“I like the Tristone benchtops because they are low maintenance, repairable, non-porous and hygienic,” says Ruben. “It’s an acrylic product, but it looks similar to stone, and the bonus is that it isn’t cold to the touch. It’s a great option for rental properties. And I really like how we went for the thinner benchtop, and then Trends added a negative detail beneath, to create a modern floating effect.”
All in all, it’s a set of homes that are worth feeling proud of. Taking only 11 months to build (including the inconvenience of COVID added to the mix), these townhouses are built to last, with Ruben specifying products that have longevity.
With easy access to the city, minimal maintenance and a real community feel, these units are likely to be a pleasure to live in. Knowing that the home is structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing makes this set of townhouses a cut above the rest.
INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT
KITCHEN
Trends Kitchens
03 343 5242
trendskitchens.co.nz
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS
Lewis and Barrow
03 366 4320
lewisandbarrow.co.nz
ENGINEERS
Landtech Consulting
03 390 1371
landtech.nz
PLASTERING
TK Plastering
027 840 0033
tkplastering.co.nz
ROOFING
Membrane Masters Roofing
021 799 965
membranemasters.co.nz
