The view from the back of this Hillcrest property was extraordinary — and completely hidden. The existing rear of the house had been added to over the years with unconsented work that blocked the outlook and didn't function well.

The extension removed the unauthorised additions, properly resolved the building consent situation, and replaced everything with a new living space that finally does justice to the outlook behind the house. Large-format joinery runs the full width of the rear elevation, framing a view that the previous owners had been living next to without ever really seeing.

On a steep and serviced-constrained site with a tight budget, the project kept its ambitions clear: get out of the way of the view, and let the house be about that.