DRAG
Oxford Terrace Kainga Ora
Following the success of the Te Ō project for Kāinga Ora, Solari Architects used Belcanto’s Grappler balcony system on the award-winning Oxford Terrace project in Lower Hutt.
- ProductsGrappler Glide-On Balconies
- LocationLower Hutt
- clientKāinga Ora
- ArchitectsSolari Architects
- Main ContractorMiles Construction
- Completion
- Project Type
PRIVACY AND AMENITY FOR SOCIAL HOUSING
Recipient of the 2024 New Zealand Institute of Architects Wellington award for Multi-Unit Housing, Oxford Terrace was described by the jury as ‘a heart-warming example of a community housing project.’
Generous and carefully positioned Grappler balconies were intrinsic to the design, overlooking a large central outdoor area that offers places to sit, gather, garden and socialise.
‘The Belcanto balconies worked so well on the Te Ō development, it made sense to roll them through onto this project,’ says architect Angela Gibson, ‘both in terms of the design and the documentation process.’
Generously sized balconies for connection and privacy
With two buildings offset at a slight angle, Oxford Terrace comprises 32 one-bedroom apartments across three floors, all with private balconies or patios that encourage informal connection among residents.
‘The design responded to the site, with living areas and balconies facing the sunny aspect,’ says Angela. ‘The angled relationship of the buildings provides a sense of connection without people feeling like they are living on top of each other, creating a sense of community.’
Although the balconies only needed to be eight square metres for single residents, Solari designed them to be more generous at nine square metres, offering greater freedom for seating, plants and washing lines.
‘We also used aluminium laser cut sheets on the face of the balconies, similar to Te Ō, to create an interesting variation in the façade. This adds both visual interest and privacy, while discreetly screening washing lines,’ says Angela.
A new standard for social housing
‘The design and installation were very straightforward,’ notes Angela. ‘All 24 balcony installations were completed in three days. This required a high degree of accuracy in both the on-site and prefabricated tolerances, which we managed to achieve.’
In their work with Kāinga Ora, Solari Architects are creating a new benchmark for social housing, one where the community is paramount and residents are free to gather and socialise while feeling safe and comfortable in their own homes. Belcanto is proud to support this vision, delivering balcony systems that make it easier to build better living environments.
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What Our Clients say
The brief for the Resido Apartments was for a balustrade design that met all of the client’s design intents. This included balcony privacy, a fast build programme and a timeless aesthetic – simple, clean and crisp. The Belcanto system delivers that beautifully.
James Daulton, Project Architect
ASHTON MITCHELL
Balconies can be time-consuming, involving multiple trades. Coordinating all these elements can be a challenge for contractors. The Grappler system addressed this at Gulf Rise Village by handling all construction in the factory, ensuring quality control and simplifying the process with a single warranty.
Mark Crean, Project Architect
IGNITE ARCHITECTS
At Metlifecare Gulf Rise, Belcanto fixed 12 balcony units in a single day. The system allows us to complete the facade sooner, bringing down the scaffolding up to a month earlier, which accelerates work on adjacent civil and landscaping projects. It’s refreshing when something just works as planned, without any issues.
Garyth Jones, Project Manager
NZ STRONG
We’ve now used the Grappler system on three buildings for Metlifecare. Our client saw the value in how it reduced risk to the envelope design while delivering significant speed and cost savings. It’s proven to be a real success.
Mark Crean, Director of Living Environments, Aged Care
IGNITE ARCHITECTS
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