Long House
long
adjective
- measuring a great distance from end to end.
- lasting or taking a great amount of time
Our work on this house has happened over a long period of time. A couple with a young family came to us over 10 years ago asking for a new bathroom and a minor reconfiguration to the bedroom area of their existing bungalow. That was the start of a long-term relationship, and one we have been so happy to be a part of. What quickly became apparent to us was the clients had great decision-making skills and a real eye on the long-term of their house for their family (not to mention a sharp design awareness).
A young group of builders also worked on the house the first time and returned when the time came to continue with the long-term vision. Through our discussions about programme and how the family wanted to live with nearly-teenage children, we arrived at a long plan form. The site is narrow and the design actually shortened the hallway by opening part of it as the kitchen, and repositioned the family space opening to the outside. Then to the rear we lengthened the plan again with the new children’s rooms, along with their own bathroom, allowing them to open to the deck and have a wide corridor space to occupy on indoor-outdoor beanbags or rugs and cushions.
The long house works.
Photography by André Vroon













