In a serene and secluded spot, nestled amongst the rolling Tasman countryside, lies the dream home of Glen and MiYoung Parsons.
The happy couple met while kitesurfing in the Philippines, “I was a kitesurfing school owner in the Philippines and global telecom contractor for Alcatel-Lucent, and MiYoung, originally from Seoul in South Korea, was a dive school owner.”
Moving to the Nelson Tasman region from Queenstown in 2015, the couple observed the pattern of their children’s outdoor playing habits and chose to create a home befitting of this. “We noticed that our children tend to play outside more on the same level as the parent living space - so we decided to find a space and build, wanting our kids to grow up in the sunshine and not in front of a screen.”
The family found the perfect space to suit their lifestyle, falling in love with a section near Ruby Bay. “The kids walk to the small beach nearby with short runs to Rabbit Island and Kaiteriteri for perfect activity beaches. The area offers serenity while not being too far out of the way, and yet feels secluded.”
Their Aporo Rd home, completed late last year, is the family’s first build and they say a key element of their initial brief was to maximise solar energy from the north creating thermal mass, whilst capturing views to the south and west.
Inspired by other local builds, and after a few initial hiccups, the couple were able to tweak their plans to suit their vision and chose to enlist the help of Russell Bruce and his team at Bruce Design & Build.
They say it was Russell’s ability to listen to their needs, and their vision for their home, that was the deciding factor. “Russell walked us through a few builds of different specifications and was able to provide us with great ballpark prices.”
Glen says the ability of Bruce Design & Build to offer comparative pricing on materials allowed the couple to make easy changes and the right decisions with budget in mind. “This approach, rather than a corporate model, was why we selected Russell and his team. It was clear they have the client’s vision in mind and were not just about the money.”
Seeing the excitement from the children throughout the process was a highlight for the family, and watching their vision become a reality. “The kitchen and main area would be some of our favourite features of the home, along with the flow and blur of materials creating undefined lines from the inside to the outdoors.”
Bruce Design & Build are expert architectural builders dedicated to delivering exceptional quality builds with a wealth of knowledge and experience, able to provide top quality, cost-effective homes.
Alana and Russell Bruce are the managing directors of the business and Russell says working with the Parsons family was an absolute pleasure. “Glen and MiYoung were very definite about certain aspects of the build. They had done their homework prior and were great at making decisions.” Trusting in the process is a key element to a successful build, and Russell says the respect shown by the couple was outstanding. “Glen and MiYoung had this amazing trust in us. They knew what they wanted, and they trusted us to do it.”
The main brief was to create a low maintenance, warm and passive home, says Russell. To achieve this we chose Flashclad and concrete blocks for low maintenance exterior claddings, along with a touch of cedar to help blend into the surrounding elements."
Installing solid concrete block walls both at the entranceway and behind the fireplace creates thermal mass absorption, utilising solar energy and maintaining comfortable temperatures. Floor to ceiling low emissivity (Low E) glass windows ensure the tiled floor captures the most of the sun’s heat during the day, maximising heat retention and creating a passive and energy-efficient solar design. The floor slab also has an underfloor heat pump system with a thermally broken edge which helps ensure the house retains heat and has an even temperature all year round. “Its an incredibly warm home,” says Russell. “The uniqueness of the site is their incredible views. The kitchen and living room look out over an amazing pond and the views across to the western ranges are spectacular. They did a great job.”
Glen says the collaboration with Bruce Design & Build was a breeze. “Russell is connected to every build his name is on. He was in our corner at every step. If we build again, we will not hesitate to call Russell and Alana first.”
