Tarras Groove House

Brief

A new home in Lower Hutt for clients of Icon:arc Design Ltd. The architectural intent called for an all-timber structural solution — no steel — across a challenging site.

Approach

The structural design was completed using timber for every primary element: floors, walls, roof and bracing. Wellington’s seismic context and the specific site conditions meant the timber sizing and detailing had to work harder than usual to deliver the spans and bracing capacity the architecture needed without resorting to steel members.

Outcome

The project is a useful demonstration that timber-only structures can carry real architectural ambition in New Zealand seismic zones.