Timber battens and weatherboards to exterior of home

Aluminium and glass bifold doors opened onto timber deck.

Plywood lined walls and ceiling to stairwell

Plywood lined wall on angle above white kitchen bench top and cabinetry

Timber battens on edge of house in foreground. Dry grassy hill in background

Prefab timber framed walls of a house under construction.

Large truck and trailer carrying a prefabricated house driving up hill

Crane lifting prefabricated section of house into place on site

House under construction with timber weatherboards partially installed

FAB ONE

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House + Home – 2020

The largest module of the FAB series, designed by Bonnifait + Giesen Architects, FAB ONE is an 89m2, two-storey home built on an elevated site overlooking Gisborne city.

FAB ONE contains a spacious double-height living area, dining room and media corner on the ground floor, with a generous kitchen tucked beneath the stairs to the upper floor. Upstairs two double bedrooms with dressing space and a separate bathroom are arranged to take in the incredible views across Tūranganui-a-Kiwa/Poverty Bay.

Our team utilised innovative construction methods to build the first FAB ONE in New Zealand. The house was pre-fabricated in two 45m2 sections at our local workshop before being transported to the site and lifted into place by a crane. Once assembled on-site, our team continued work cladding the exterior of the house in timber weatherboards and completed the interior finishings.

The house is a humble dwelling of simple form, materials and construction that sits proudly within its natural environment. The timber cladding and external screens will silver off over time to blend into the adjacent native bush that has been regenerated by our client.

From within, the exposed plywood interior walls and in-built joinery create a warm and textured appearance. The result is a calm and encapsulating living experience.

Photography by Russell Kleyn and DStevens.