Featured in the inaugural Grand Designs NZ as Episode 5, the ‘45 Degree House’ was an innovative response to one of Wellington’s most challenging leftover sites: a 45-degree slope with stunning postcard views but no accessible build platform. The proximity to the CBD captured the client’s imagination as a potential prototype for infill housing, tackling urban sprawl by utilising seemingly unbuildable land.

 

The solution? A gravity-defying design that turned traditional construction on its head—quite literally. Instead of extensive earthworks or conventional foundations, the house was suspended on a structural system of rock-anchored concrete walls and a prefabricated steel frame tensioned by cables. This "backpack" structure allowed the home to cling to the steep cliff while avoiding the costly and impractical excavation required for deep foundations. Spanning four angular levels, the interior embraces its unique suspended nature, featuring permeable hanging nets, a glass-faced lift that scales the spine of the house, and open-plan spaces that celebrate the connection between architecture and the dramatic hillside.

 

At the conclusion of the Grand Designs episode, Chris Moller called the project a “prototype,” and for good reason. The lessons learned from this bold experiment—navigating the complexities of steep terrain, controlling build costs, and addressing time constraints—became a turning point for our practice. It highlighted the need for innovative construction methods that could adapt to New Zealand’s unique topography while remaining efficient and cost-effective.

 

This project set The Pōneke Company on its current path, where modular solutions are now at the heart of our practice. By using modular construction, we aim to address the very challenges that the ‘45 Degree House’ exposed: building efficiently on steep or constrained sites without compromising design quality or affordability. The project remains a proud milestone in our history and a testament to the creative thinking that drives us forward.

​​

This was a 2016 Wellington Architecture Awards Winner in the Housing Category.

https://www.nzia.co.nz/awards/local/award-detail/6220