Birch Park at Auckland by Matter Architects

ByJon Dykstra Houses

The Brich Park home as a whole.

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Contractor: Nicholls Group
Photography: Simon Devitt & Jackie Meiring

About Studio

Matter Architects is recognized for its work in architecture, urban planning, art, design, and strategic thinking. We pride ourselves on our ethical, honest, and transparent approach to all projects. We love what we do and have a profound commitment to our clients and finding innovative design solutions. We achieve these solutions through a working methodology of collaboration and disruption.

The integrity of ideas along with the process and effective communication ensure that any investment made throughout the project is done so in a well-planned and mutually agreed manner, making certain that our clients and all affected parties realize the most value from our product.

Their own children, grandparents, and the larger family as a whole all call this place home.
Their own children, grandparents, and the larger family as a whole all call this place home.
The house was designed as a collection of pavilions that interacted with the surrounding environment and allowed the site to flow through the constructed forms.
The house was designed as a collection of pavilions that interacted with the surrounding environment and allowed the site to flow through the constructed forms.
The building's façade and threshold are extended.
The building’s façade and threshold are extended.
The floor plan's programmatic simplicity is maintained.
The floor plan’s programmatic simplicity is maintained.
The use of Petersen bricks as the cladding shows how the lower levels have been assimilated into the landscape.
The use of Petersen bricks as the cladding shows how the lower levels have been assimilated into the landscape.
The feel and scale of these handmade bricks remain human.
The feel and scale of these handmade bricks remain human.
Detailed to provide both inner and outside solid, continuous planes.
Detailed to provide both inner and outside solid, continuous planes.
While the wall planes are nearly continuous at the entryway.
While the wall planes are nearly continuous at the entryway.
As you travel around the house, the lack of a view disappears, and the bricks become little wing walls positioned between woodwork.
As you travel around the house, the lack of a view disappears, and the bricks become little wing walls positioned between woodwork.
The living area goes well with the house's brick foundation walls.
The living area goes well with the house’s brick foundation walls.
The living room contains a carpet, a round wooden table, soft gray sofas, and a wooden stool.
The living room contains a carpet, a round wooden table, soft gray sofas, and a wooden stool.
The eating area is furnished with wooden pieces, and the glass walls allow you to see outside.
The eating area is furnished with wooden pieces, and the glass walls allow you to see outside.
Using contrast and layering, the kitchen's designers highlighted the durability and beauty of each feature and material.
Using contrast and layering, the kitchen’s designers highlighted the durability and beauty of each feature and material.

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Deceptively simple in shape, the kitchen designs produced elemental carved blocks of both dark emerald and white stone.
Deceptively simple in shape, the kitchen designs produced elemental carved blocks of both dark emerald and white stone.
As you approached the stairwell, the bricks could be seen due to the design's all-black hue.
As you approached the stairwell, the bricks could be seen due to the design’s all-black hue.
The restrooms have carefully chosen colors that reflect the outside scenery in the breathtaking vistas beyond.
The restrooms have carefully chosen colors that reflect the outside scenery in the breathtaking vistas beyond.
The contrast and layering used in the bathroom's design brought out the beauty and sturdiness of each component and material.
The contrast and layering used in the bathroom’s design brought out the beauty and sturdiness of each component and material.
The house features a pool outside for recreation and to draw attention to the property.
The house features a pool outside for recreation and to draw attention to the property.

Our client envisioned the project as a generational home, for their own children, grandparents, and greater family in general. It was important to incorporate and interpret aspects of Chilean and Japanese design philosophies into the project. After much collaboration and interaction, the home was resolved as a series of pavillions, interlocking with the landscape, allowing the site to flow through the built forms.

Increasing the length of the building envelope and threshold the floor plan remains simple programmatically while creating many experientially unique and flexible spaces. The lower levels have been settled into the land, reflected materially by the use of Petersen bricks as the cladding. These hand-made bricks maintain a human feel and scale, detailed to create solid, continuous planes both inside and out.

While at the entranceway, the wall planes are almost continuous, this deprivation of the view dissolves as you move within the home, the bricks reducing to small wing walls set between joinery. Above the brick, ‘base’ walls are rich timber-clad forms containing the more private family spaces. Using Shou Sugi Ban to treat the exterior timber added texture and detail, creating a velvet cloak, the soft timber full of warmth and texture.

In collaboration with our clients and the very talented team from ‘Bespoke Interior Design’, the kitchen, bathrooms, and interiors were developed using contrast and layering, highlighting the strength and beauty of each element and material. Concrete and timber provide the backdrop, green marble with smoked timber cabinetry, rich walnut against white marble, organic linens & paper lanterns with steel balustrades.

The Kitchen and bathroom designs were deceptively simple in shape creating elemental carved blocks of both dark emerald green and white stone. The select colors mirror the natural landscape in the stunning vistas beyond.

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Jon Dykstra
Jon Dykstra

Jon practiced law before launching his online publishing career, bringing analytical rigor to everything he builds. Home Stratosphere combines that precision with a lifelong obsession with residential design — architecture, interiors, landscape, and furniture.

His current focus is AI-driven design analysis, using artificial intelligence to study patterns in color, layout, and material choice across thousands of homes. His Personality Type Home Design Guide applies personality frameworks to interior aesthetics, helping readers design spaces that reflect how they actually think and live.

His favorite piece on the site is the 25 Most Popular Designs, is a daily-updated ranking of the top designs over the last 30 days, driven entirely by visitor activity. The feedback is invaluable for understanding what resonates most with readers. LinkedIn

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