Eco house plan wins world award

The 'C3 House' is 100 per cent recyclable at the end of its life. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi architect nets top prize with his three-way carbon reduction design.

Architect Richard Naish has won a top award at the World Architecture Festival in Singapore for an as-yet-unbuilt house in Wanaka.

Dubbed the "C3 House" because of its triple-layer approach to reducing carbon, the project won the Future Projects - House category for Mr Naish, of architecture firm RTA Studio.

The house was designed for the Longview Environmental Trust, west of Wanaka at Emerald Bluffs, and will be constructed of local timber, stone and rammed earth.

The finished product will emit no carbon, has net zero carbon in its construction materials and is 100 per cent recyclable at the end of its life.

The house impressed the jury with its approach to energy use and embodied energy used in the materials.

Mr Naish said: "We are really excited to have our work recognised by an award of this stature. It's a huge buzz."

The award-winning architect attracted attention this year over a modern home he built at Arnold St in the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn which neighbours have nicknamed The Ark because of its bland exterior and unusual shape.

- staff reporter