Project Revisit: Betts Luxury Apartments, Nelson NZ

Designed in 2019 by Arthouse Architects, these apartments took out three esteemed awards in the year following: an NZIA Nelson/Marlborough Architecture Award, and a New Zealand Commercial Projects National Category and Gold Award.

The level of detail and unique customisation evident in the design, as well as the variety of materials used to create its dynamic streetfront, all contributed to the success of the project.

Five years later, Betts Apartments is still looking as sleek and modern as the day it was built. The Vulcan Screening finished in Protector - Teak has not yet been recoated, yet the timber is entirely intact with no bowing or cracking evident, and just a little natural fading of the timber as expected.

Initially, the screening was designed for privacy on the south face of the building, where the apartments are close to the street edge, as well as to address solar gain on the west side. The low maintenance product is still doing its job after years of exposure to weather, with its linear motif cleanly continuing adjacent to the corrugated metal cladding.

This excellent result is due to the increased stability provided by the thermal modification process, which reduces the moisture content of the timber, allowing for a longer life as well as a better hold on coloured finishes.

There is little change in the condition of the timber feature wall at the time of building (left) and after five years (right).

Pictured at time of building (left) and after five years (right), it's clear the Abodo timber has stood the test of time.

• Photography Credit / Before Images: Kate Mcpherson
• Photography Credit / After Images: Virginia Woolf