Style and sustainability

Summer Gardens, 3 Campbell Road, Takapuna. Photo / Supplied

SUMMER GARDENS 3 CAMPBELL RD, TAKAPUNA

ON OFFER: Being sold off the plans, this apartment development designed by Construkt Architects emphasises sustainability. With high-tech inclusions, solar heating, communal fruit trees, residents’ pool and sea views from some upper apartments, plus a 6 Homestar rating.

OPTIONS: A: 1-bed, 1-bath apartment, 42-53sq m (plus 6-12sq m balcony); priced from $618,750. B: 2-bed, 2-bath apartment, 81-106sq m (plus16-89sq m balcony or courtyard area); priced from $1.3256 million, with 1 carpark. C: 3-bed, 2-bath apartment, 121-125sq m (plus 24-116sq m balcony or courtyard area); priced from $1.8435 million, including 2 carparks (1 tandem). D: Sub-penthouse 3-bed, 3-bath apartment, 152sq m (plus 58sq m balcony); priced $2.591 million, including 2 carparks (1 tandem).

INSPECT: Show suite at 129 Hurstmere Rd open Sat/Sun 1-4pm, Tues/Thurs noon to 2pm or by appointment.

ON THE WEB: http://www.summergardens.co.nz/

SCHOOL ZONES: Takapuna School, Takapuna Normal Intermediate, Westlake Girls and Westlake Boys.

CONTACT: Jim Liu 021 222 0918 or Coy Zhao 021 529 959; Barfoot & Thompson.

ESTIMATED ANNUAL BODY CORP: 1-bed from $1612; 2-bed from $3946; 3-bed from $5425; sub-penthouse 3-bed from $7354.

A heady mix of bold architectural design, sustainable focus and high-tech inclusions are intertwined in an upmarket new boutique apartment development two minutes' walk from the beach in central Takapuna.

One of Construkt Architects principals, architect Madushin Amarasekera says: "Our developer client is going to live upstairs on the penthouse level so naturally he wants the building to be spectacular.

"It's a bold and confident building, which it had to be for this prominent location."

Summer Gardens' six-level-plus-basement building housing 30 residences will rise just a couple of properties away from the Hurstmere Road-Anzac St roundabout.

About one third of its one-bedroom to three-bedroom residences have already sold off the plans.

Amarasekera, whose experience includes designing multi-storey, mixed-use developments in China, Papua New Guinea and Australia, says: "This location marks the transition from existing low-level residential housing to Takapuna's commercial town centre. I wanted the design to knit the building into its context."

The developer's five-bedroom penthouse apartment forms a crown for the eye-catching building, incorporating a raked roofline and standing-seam powder-coated metal cladding in recognition of the roofscapes of local houses.

The development emulates the set-back you typically see along Campbell Rd, softened by front planting and the six street-level garden units with gardened courtyards.

Summer Gardens, 3 Campbell Road, Takapuna. Photo / Supplied

Moveable metal screens, perforated to allude to the effect of looking through a canopy, break up the building's long eastern and western facades, screening the sun and providing privacy.

Other materials include pre-cast concrete panels, abundant glass and timber accents.

Amarasekera says: "We've wrapped our lift core, which goes all the way up the building and can be read from outside, in this same perforated metal."

Summer Gardens is registered with the Green Building Council to achieve a 6 Homestar rating. Unitary Plan changes made this rating no longer mandatory for developer Raymond Jarm, of XinYue Development.

"However, Raymond wanted to maintain this development's point of difference, which includes this focus on sustainability, quality of finishes, use of a lot of technology and a strong architectural aesthetic," says Amarasekera.

Summer Gardens, 3 Campbell Road, Takapuna. Photo / Supplied

Roof-mounted solar panels supplementing the gas hot water system and energy-efficient LED lighting are some of the inclusions that will minimise the building's and residents' running costs.

Apartment interiors include low-emission and eco-certified materials and water efficient showers, toilets and tapware.

Landscaping by Greenwood Associates includes native planting and edible fruit trees around a solar-heated residents' pool, outside a communal residents' room.

Technology offers a smart lighting system, automated blind control and advanced metering by apartment.

There'll be eastern views from the top few levels across the town centre to the harbour. All apartments have covered balconies or courtyard areas.

Summer Gardens, 3 Campbell Road, Takapuna. Photo / Supplied

Amarasekera says: "Some of the premium apartments have balconies able to be fully enclosed with sliding glass and LouvreTec louvres, which turn them into winter gardens."

Kitchens are by Arclinea from Matisse and apartments with two-bedrooms or larger have sculleries.

Heat pumps are discretely integrated and the sub-penthouse apartment also boasts a bio-fuel fireplace stylishly incorporated into a marble-esque partial wall.

Apartments with two-bedrooms or more have a secure carpark in the basement, which has charging facilities for electric cars.

The development's SHA origins deliver three one-bedroom apartments available to first home buyers who meet qualifying conditions.

The building with entry from Campbell Rd and Beatson Way is due for completion in December 2018.