Natural living

There are many things to consider when designing a home. Architect Massimiliano Capocaccia at MC Architecture Studio looks at the trends shaping new homes in the year ahead.

For someone designing a new home in 2022, what advice would you give them on where to begin?
The best advice I would give anyone starting their design process is to note down and photograph the positive experiences you have in the homes you visit, so together with your architect, you can discover what it is about the spaces you like and how to incorporate them into your design. This process connects you closer to the spaces you are designing and helps create a better outcome, specific to you as the resident.

How do you think the future of sustainable housing looks for New Zealand?
Sustainable housing is often misinterpreted as simply designing energy-efficient homes. But the reality is far more complex. It takes into account many other aspects; including, but not limited to, social, emotional and environmental sustainability, and focuses on factors like the production and disposal of building materials, while also remembering the emotional value in a building’s beauty.

The first approach starts with building smaller, and the next follows our current trajectory, using age-old design strategies to better harness our sun and winds for natural heating and cooling. Combining the most up-to-date technologies with these strategies, a well-insulated thermal envelope, and careful detailing to reduce thermal bridging means that a house can maintain a more constant temperature naturally, reducing energy consumption and creating a healthier living environment.

What concepts do you see as quintessential home design trends in New Zealand?
The relationship with nature is the hinge of New Zealand’s architecture. At present, Kiwi homes tend to have a strong connection between interior and exterior living areas, connecting with and looking outward over these beautiful landscapes. Future trends may bring the beauty of nature indoors through courtyards and create more inward-focused homes, reflective of their outer surroundings.

03 384 9469 | mcarchstudio.nz