The Ballance Street Studio - Gisborne, New Zealand
Designed by Shane Kingsbeer of Kingsbeer Architecture as a simple cube, however the construction is anything but simple.
Viewed from the road, the box-shaped workroom seems to float above the ground.
This in part due to the clean design and choice of materials, but also in the clever planning. Signage, a letterbox and fencing are all absent from the street frontage - and leave the studio’s clean unbroken lines to speak for themselves.
The studio facade is clad with Abodo’s thermally modified pine (a rapidly renewable and locally sourced eco-timber) using Vulcan Screening finished in Sioo:x natural wood coating.
This innovative finish means the timber will silver off over time so the studio blends effortlessly into its surrounds.
To the left of the studio is a long narrow trench, the fishpond - which passers by are welcome to stop and enjoy. Shane has incorporated a paving stone from the road to achieve just that.
Optimising the comparatively small space was also key in the design process.
Kingsbeer believes that most people only use certain areas within their living space, which leaves a lot of empty space in homes and offices. So he decided to create an area that allows everyone to interact and socialise simultaneously.
The studio’s open atmosphere is apparent once you enter. Of particular note are the natural lighting, a consultation/social/yoga space tucked away to the left, and a mini hallway which also has the ability to function as a kitchen.
