JTB Architects is an awardwinning, New Zealand owned architectural practice, founded in Nelson in 1986.
Our team works from studios in Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Wānaka. We draw together wide-ranging local and international experience, and bring understanding of local conditions to each project.
We provide specialist expertise in Architecture, Urban Design, Masterplanning, Environmentally Sustainable Design, Interior Design, Visualisation, and Building Information Management (BIM). Our aim is to respond to each project with creativity, energy and honesty, to create robust buildings while maintaining a clear focus on aesthetic quality.
Our expertise in multi-unit residential housing ranges from small to large scale. We are experienced in a broad range of projects from multiunit design to full subdivision projects spanning both the public and private sectors. This booklet compiles a range of projects across our multi-unit residential housing portfolio. We welcome the opportunity to discuss new projects.
The design concept of Waimea Plains village offers a different approach to retirement living, focusing on place making, social interaction, solar access and natural landscape environment, and providing an outward looking, inclusive and permeable layout to create connections and integrate into the wider community.
WAIMEA PLAINS VILLAGE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING
The development comprises 160 villa and townhouse units, 26 Apartments, over 45 care rooms, and shared communal facilities arranged across 6 precincts which vary in use, materiality and scale.
The largest site area of the Retirement Village is devoted to individual single-storey residential villas in a mix of three bed, two bed and 1.5 bed units. Conceptually, these villas are organised in a series of ‘clusters’ - numbering from four to eight villas, grouped around
a courtyard with vehicle access, fanning a series of cul-de-sac neighbourhoods. Spaces between ‘clusters’ are communal ‘green’ space, onto which each villa can open out or overlook, used for amenity, circulation, recreational and social activities.
The overlapping groupings of the ‘courtyard neighbourhood’ and the ‘green neighbourhood’ is expected to create a strong social network around the site which will be a positive feature of the Village.
This medium density housing development comprises 66 units, completed in stages, on a steep sloping site in Mirimar, Wellington.
KAIRANGI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The housing is planned around a central pocket park and features a mixture of affordable and accessible units for the private and public market. The design provides connectivity to the neighbourhood, by way of pedestrian pathway, lowering the traffic volumes within the site with a shared low-speed carriageway for pedestrians and vehicles.
Dwellings are set out to maximise sun, views and private open spaces within
a medium density pattern, allowing 2, 3 and 4 bedroom properties so that a range of household sizes and types can be accommodated. Each home features a garage, a second car-park, and private outdoor space to augment the single level double aspect living areas, with upstairs bedroom and bathrooms.
The houses have distinct variations to cladding materials, colours and roof form to provide separate identity.
This medium-density housing development for HNZC, comprising 21 one-bedroom units, is expected to be occupied by predominantly elderly households with mobility concerns.
HNZC FRANKEMOORE STREET
Location Johnsonville,
The priority is to provide a ‘sense of community’ planned around a secure communal outdoor area; orientated for the sun, sheltered, and connected to the units at all levels. Safety and security is balanced with achieving a friendly face.
Each 50m2 unit comprises a kitchen, dining/living, studio bedroom, bathroom and laundry. The units are fully accessible, allowing 1,500mm turning circles within bathrooms and kitchens; level entries and wet-area showers.
The houses are oriented for sun and provision of active edges to the street, with lift access provided via a safe, central circulation
route. The development includes resident parking with drop-off and pick-up areas. Secure enclosed space to house bicycles, electric wheelchairs and scooters. Communal washing lines, rubbish/recycling bins, as well as raised ‘veggie’ planter boxes, are also provided.
The overall form is designed to reference the surrounding built context, with the two storey simple gable forms. Multiple blocks on the site break up the form, and create a rhythm along the street, with accent colours providing interest.
This multi-unit social housing development was completed in 2021, and comprises 36 units staggered vertically along a hillside site in the Wellington suburb of Newtown.
HNZC OWEN STREET
The single bedroom units are arranged around a central access point with public open spaces and a community room. The units on this elevated site are oriented to maximise the views and daylight access, where all units meet a maximum standard of 4 hours direct sunlight on the winter solstice.
Apartments are staggered vertically along the site to manage the steep topography while minimising the amount of cut
and fill required. This variation helps to break up the bulk of the development and integrate it into the surrounding suburban context of Newtown.
The darker cladding elements tie the overall development together, helping it recede into the dark greens of the Wellington Town Belt behind, while lighter materials and textures provide variation and personalisation to the units within.
Silverbrooke is a medium density housing development on 162 hectares of ex-forestry land on a sheltered westfacing slope in Whitby, Porirua.
SILVERBROOKE
Location Whitby, Porirua
Status
Completed
The development comprises 160 individual housing units in a range of typologies, including: terraced townhouses, semi-detached houses and stand-alone houses. The overall site masterplan allows for building density, balanced by a network of public recreational parks and reserve areas protecting existing woodland, linked with walkways and cycleways.
The typologies are further divided into a range of size and price points to suit various demographics and encourage diversity; with each housing group located relative to land slope, orientation and proximity to open space. For instance, the terraced
house, being a high-density typology, is associated with the proposed green open spaces to offset their visual impact.
Housing designs focus on efficient floor plans, daylight/sunlight admission, indoor/outdoor connectivity and views, with careful consideration of security and privacy. Externally the intent is to create well-composed and articulated composition, using varied roof forms and plan form, with sun-shades, porches and balconies – to indicate entries, provide shelter and to enhance character.
This four unit townhouse block comprises four 148m2 houses with a garden courtyard and first floor riverfront terrace overlooking Nelson’s Maitai River.
MAITAHI QUARTER
Taking note of the Maitai River connection to the marina, the architectural silhouette references a classic boat-shed design, with a recessive external palette to fit within its urban context. The townhouses face north for sun and use natural light to penetrate the open layouts within.
The first floor riverfront terraces create an overhang that provides privacy to both the first floor
lounge space and ground floor bedroom utilizing the shadow created by the depth of the façade. Each interior provided options of two or three bedrooms with two bathrooms and a lift.
The townhouses are split into two by two unit blocks with a unified design approach to the create four architecturally continuous yet unique homes at the heart of Nelson City.
This 4,020m2 facility provides 22 assisted care apartments at ground floor with 47 care units at first floor.
SOMME STREET ASSISTED LIVING AND CARE FACILITY
Each floor provides communal dining and lounge facilities, with a commercial kitchen and laundry at the ground floor. Each apartment opens out onto a private outdoor area. The central courtyard provides a large outdoor sheltered amenity. Additional facilities for the tenants include reading lounge, cafe, laundry, hair salon & bar.
The project is in a residential area, requiring resource consent and consideration of surrounding dwellings. The form and scale of the design is carefully considered to break up the building and present a
high-quality feel to suit the vernacular of the surrounds, whilst maximising allowable site coverage. The success of this approach meant that the design, which was subject to limited notification, did not receive any objection.
This project required an early start on site, achieved with a separate earthworks and sub-structure Building Consent package which progressed in advance of the superstructure works. In addition, the design utilises prefabricated bathrooms to achieve time and quality benefits.
Willowlea is a 5,300m2 facility providing 34 assisted care facility apartments at ground floor and 62 care facility units above, all with en-suite and kitchen facilities.
WILLOWLEA
Each floor provides communal dining and lounge facilities with commercial kitchen and laundry at the ground floor. Additional facilities for the tenants include reading lounge, additional laundry and hair salon.
The project is in a residential area, requiring resource consent, and consideration of surrounding residential dwellings. The design presents a high-quality residential feel and scale. The success of this approach meant that the design, which was subject
to limited notification, did not receive a single objection and avoided the need for a hearing.
This project required an early start on site, which has been achieved with a separate earthworks and sub-structure Building Consent package which progressed in advance of the superstructure works. In addition, the design pioneers the use of prefabricated bathrooms, constructed offsite, to achieve time and quality benefits.
Aria Bay is an existing Retirement Village located in the desirable suburb of Browns Bay, Auckland.
ARIA BAY 790 BEACH ROAD
Over the last 6 years, we have undertaken a number of developments to replace, upgrade and increase yeild within the site. The first project completed was a three-storey apartment building with basement car-parking, located at 790 Beach Road.
This building contains nine twobedroom apartments, ranging in size from 74m2 to 91m2, each carefully oriented to achieve good sunlight and views, and with generous external living areas. There is a common lounge and barbecue courtyard on the ground floor to promote community
living. To the west of the courtyard is a linked swimming pool and gym facility. The site slopes steeply upwards on the western side to existing bush, which is retained as a landscape amenity containing walking tracks.
The building steps up the slope to create two interlocking sections, with wide eaves providing shelter and creating a strong horizontal line. This is balanced by verticals created by timber cladding and fenestration. The façade is further modulated with balconies and timber screens for outdoor living with privacy.
Following successful completion of the 790 Beach Road Apartments, we have completed two further stages of site development at Aria Bay.
ARIA BAY 792 BEACH ROAD
The first of these is located at 792 Beach Road and comprises two independent living apartment buildings, linked at basement level with shared carparking.
Apartment Building A contains 11 apartments over 3 living levels, Apartment Building B contains 14 apartments over 4 living levels. The proposed development includes a ground level village community centre within Apartment Building B, opening onto a communal courtyard space.
These two buildings, together with the adjacent independent apartment buildings, will develop as a strong community. To facilitate this, a community centre has been located alongside the shared courtyard. This is a multi-purpose space, with catering facilities, which can be used for a variety of events.
This is the latest stage of the Aria Bay Retirement Village, which provides a main entrance and focal point to the Village, with community café, dining, and entertainment facilities located around three north-facing courtyards.
ARIA BAY APARTMENTS AND CARE
Accommodation includes a care home with 60 units, including a specialist dementia care unit and secure courtyard in a four-storey block to the west of the site. To the east, in two linked five storey blocks with views overlooking the coast, are 52 serviced and independent living apartments. Apartments are designed to suit a variety of residents, and range in size from 1-bedroom units of 55m2 to 3-bedroom units of 115m2.
The project contained complex Resource Consent issues, we were significantly involved in successfully negotiating the design through a Public Hearing process. Stage 1 of the project – the care home - is under construction with completion due in 2021; which will be followed directly with construction of the apartments.
Tewa Banks is a 70 home mixed tenure housing development for the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust. The project is located on a 3.6 hectare site beside the Arrow River and adjacent to the Arrowtown Golf Club. It is named after Jack Tewa who is credited with first discovering gold in the Arrow River in 1862.
TEWA BANKS
The project will provide local, affordable rental and rent-to-own opportunities for families and individual tenants of all ages. The house types range from single storey one bedroom accessible units to four bedroom two storey family homes. The house typologies include standalone dwellings, semi-detached homes and ter-
raced housing.
JTB provided Masterplanning and lead design services for the site and house designs. The site development includes community gardens and shared green spaces linking the site to the Arrow River. The road surfaces will be formed as shared spaces, for resident use and community activities.
