- 2 days ago
Grand Designs NZ S10E04 Bendigo
Category
đŸ“º
TVTranscript
00:02We humans are social animals.
00:05Most of us, at least, want to belong.
00:08Now, sometimes that's characterized as belonging to a tribe,
00:13a group of people with common interests and shared beliefs.
00:18Often, the tribe is made up of people related to each other,
00:21but that's not always the case.
00:23There's always a strong sense of family.
00:26I'm talking about this because, as an architect,
00:30I've noticed a growing interest in multi-generational living.
00:34Now, there are many good reasons why you might want to do that.
00:38But the question remains,
00:41no matter what your love and connection for your extended family,
00:45why would you want to live with them?
01:11It's easy to appreciate the appeal of central Otago,
01:15breathtaking natural beauty, invigorating outdoor adventure,
01:19and a rich history of opportunity and aspiration.
01:25So the Pinot Noir looking good for us here?
01:28It's definitely looking good.
01:32At Moco Hills Vineyard in Bendigo,
01:34the same promise is embedded in the new growing season
01:38for Andrés van de Westhuyzen and his son Donald.
01:41Luckily, we've had low wind this spring, which is always good.
01:45Andrés and his wife Izette bought 40 hectares here in 2017
01:50with the dream of establishing a vineyard.
01:53It wasn't easy.
01:56There was no fences, run out over by rabbits, overgrazed by sheep.
02:02We took out 7,000 tons of rock.
02:05The rest is history.
02:09The van de Westhuyzen family emigrated from South Africa
02:13in the late 1990s and settled in Auckland.
02:16Andrés worked as a project manager
02:18while young Donald was passionate about marine biology.
02:23His dad, though, had other ideas.
02:25He said, why don't you study viticulture?
02:27I said, mate, you are dreaming.
02:30That's never, why would I study viticulture?
02:32We're never going to have a vineyard.
02:34Fast forward a few years,
02:35now Donald and his partner live in a house on the estate
02:38where he is, indeed, the winemaker.
02:41It's not easy.
02:43By no means easy.
02:45But it is extremely rewarding.
02:50Donald's sister DeLint and her husband Sam
02:52live with Andrés and Izette in Auckland
02:54but have now also relocated down south.
02:59It will be good for the kids to grow up here one day.
03:02Yeah.
03:02Get them dirt bikes.
03:05Can I get a dirt bike too?
03:06Yeah.
03:07We all knew eventually we will all move down here.
03:11So Donald was the first one to move
03:13and then we slowly all started migrating down.
03:16DeLint is on maternity leave from her teaching job
03:18and Sam is a supply chain manager.
03:21He's also a very welcome visitor to the vineyard.
03:25I'm more the muscle.
03:27If there's manual labour to be done, I'm that guy.
03:33And now there are plans to build a new house here
03:36so that the rest of the family can live amongst the vines too.
03:41It's important for me, the family, to stay together.
03:45For us to live here in the same vicinity,
03:49I think it is any grandparent's dream
03:53to see the grandchildren growing up.
04:00But hang on, there's someone missing.
04:03Someone whose absence is felt very much indeed.
04:08Morning, morning.
04:10Family matriarch Izet has lived with Parkinson's disease
04:13for the past 14 years.
04:15It was being well managed.
04:17But seven months ago, an E. coli bacterial infection
04:20put her in Dunedin Hospital, dangerously ill.
04:23I'll go through your list again.
04:25Take it off.
04:26Izet is now in a rehabilitation unit
04:29and Andres shuttles between the family home at Warrington
04:32just north of Dunedin.
04:34The hospital in the city and the vineyard at Bendigo,
04:38another three hours' drive away.
04:40If it wasn't for Andres coming every day,
04:43I think I would have sat in a corner and cried every day.
04:47Because he's the highlight of the day,
04:49to hear his footsteps coming down the corridor.
04:51I know exactly his footsteps.
04:53But while Izet's desperate to leave hospital
04:56and be back with her loved ones,
04:58she needs a house set up with her welfare and independence
05:01first and foremost.
05:06That's going to be my safe haven.
05:08That is going to be the place where I'm with my family,
05:11the people that's the closest to my heart,
05:13that means everything in my life.
05:15You know, have a life with them that's still worthwhile
05:18and, you know, can still contribute and spend time with them.
05:29This is the heart of gold country.
05:32150 years ago, you wouldn't have seen vines here.
05:36Instead, this would have been the centre of prospecting,
05:39people labouring and dreaming.
05:43And I suspect we're going to see a bit more of that here soon.
05:49With no time to waste getting Izet home,
05:51the build is already well underway
05:53for what will be a multi-generational house.
05:59You're all going to be living here together?
06:01Yep.
06:02We're the lucky ones to be able to come in
06:04and move in with the oldies.
06:07So how does this work as a team?
06:09Do you all sit together and decide?
06:11Or is there a leader?
06:13Oh, there's a leader.
06:14Yeah?
06:15The leader's not here.
06:16Oh, yeah.
06:17So this is Izet.
06:19Yeah.
06:20She has the final say in all of the bits and bobs.
06:23We come up with the ideas and then she will agree to it.
06:26I'm just meeting with the minions today.
06:27Yeah, just a minute.
06:28Right, yeah.
06:29We'll pick up with Izet, I'm sure.
06:31On this rocky, windswept site,
06:34the house is designed for two families living separately
06:37and together around a large central courtyard.
06:41Enter across wide wooden decking,
06:43straight ahead to the courtyard,
06:46right into the main house or left into Salmond de Lint's pod.
06:49Here, three bedrooms and a family bathroom
06:52surround a kitchen bench and lounge.
06:55Next door, a broad walkway leads down to the courtyard,
06:59whilst the adjoining pod contains a wine cellar, storage
07:02and a self-contained guest bedroom, en suite and deck.
07:06The southern side of the house is Andrés and Izet's master bedroom,
07:11dressing room and en suite,
07:13kitted out to cater for all of Izet's needs.
07:17A private deck links to the living pod featuring a generously sized lounge,
07:23kitchen with scullery that Salmond de Lint will also use.
07:26A dining room with family sized round table, small office and a powder room.
07:31The largely open plan courtyard is sheltered within the house with long wide eaves
07:37and a feature specimen tree providing shade and extra protection from the elements.
07:42Arranged around the front of the house, three different patios,
07:46all with easy wheelchair access, means there's always a protected option wherever the wind is blowing from.
07:53Black steel cladding helps the low slung, flat roof house blend into the landscape,
07:59while extensive glazing takes in the expansive views
08:03and completes a multi-generational home of strength and purpose.
08:11I love this team effort, building a house together.
08:14But I wonder, Sam, what's it like being the in-law, you know,
08:18coming into this family and being part of it?
08:23Oh, I didn't win a lotto ticket there, did I?
08:27We have a close relationship, so we want to keep that tight family unit.
08:32So it's clear it's been tried and tested then?
08:34Trial, tested, and yeah, we can do it.
08:37This is the way it should be, maybe?
08:40We think so.
08:41Yeah, and so you're heading towards something.
08:43How long will it take to get a finished house and be in that dream?
08:46It will take about a year to bolt.
08:48Yeah, it's more just timing, trying to make sure it's really in time for mum
08:53when she gets out of rehab, that it's really for her,
08:57that she's not sitting in limbo, not waiting where we are, where is she going to go?
09:02Yeah, so that's the concern.
09:04Yeah.
09:05And budget?
09:06As low as possible.
09:08Always?
09:09It's 2.1 million for the whole bolt, architect cost, utilities.
09:15Yeah, okay.
09:16Yeah, 330 square metres, it's okay for a bespoke architectural house.
09:22Yep.
09:22But it's still a chunk of money.
09:24When we sell the property in Warrington, that will also go against that house budget,
09:30and the rest will be a small mortgage that they need to serve.
09:35So you guys will take a mortgage for the rest of it?
09:37A small one, I hope.
09:39Yeah.
09:39Right.
09:39You said small, right?
09:41That's it.
09:41You must be really looking forward to it.
09:43Yes.
09:44You can't wait.
09:45Yeah?
09:46Fingers crossed that there won't be any delays.
09:55Forget about creating a sexy piece of architecture in a stunning location.
10:01Construction woes, budget worries.
10:03Okay, so those might be factors.
10:05But what's important here is that this building is going to be a home for an extended,
10:12multi-generational family to live together in harmony in one place.
10:17And what's more, it's got to suit Izette's needs.
10:20It's got to allow her to live freely.
10:22And that is what this house has to deliver on.
10:39During autumn, the priority on the build is getting the framing and roof trusses up,
10:44before the bracingly cold central Otago winter arrives.
10:50Lead builder Ben and his team fully back the family's goal of moving in with Izette by Christmas.
10:57This Christmas, a few short months away, a massive challenge, especially here.
11:04It's one of those places that we get extreme heat and then extreme cold.
11:08So yeah, we want to sort of beat the elements and get tighter,
11:12nice and so we've got some nice warm winter work.
11:17Although momentum must be maintained to have any chance of finishing by Christmas,
11:22this is a big house with lots of detail needing close attention.
11:28Was that the shoe rack?
11:29There's your seat and that.
11:31I hope that one's a seat.
11:32Yeah, that one's a seat.
11:33Architectural designer Adam Schell is keenly aware of his responsibility
11:37to design a house appropriate to this amazing site.
11:42I kind of wanted it just to nestle itself into the landscape
11:44because it is all about the surroundings.
11:47It's kind of less about the house in a way
11:48and more about how the occupants connect to this.
11:55Adam's also had to consider additions and modifications for Izette
11:59as someone living with Parkinson's.
12:01This low window in the master bedroom, for instance,
12:03is designed so that the view can be seen from the bed or a wheelchair.
12:10That's pretty lucky.
12:11That's perfect.
12:13So yeah, I'm stoked with that.
12:14That's awesome.
12:16Your client is always at the centre of your projects
12:18and so the fact that it's going to be long term for them,
12:21it's not going to be something that's going to be sold in a year,
12:24you know, they're going to be in this house for decades
12:26and it's pretty special for sure.
12:29That overlap, so will it be flushed?
12:33Andries is so often on the road,
12:35travelling between the family home in Warrington,
12:38visiting Izette in Dunedin Hospital and the building site in Bendigo.
12:42He's determined progress here is never held up waiting for decisions from him.
12:48Rather than have one drawer going out, it needs to be two separate drawers.
12:54But while he's heavily involved in the build, his focus is on Izette,
12:59who the hospital now says has recovered enough to be discharged.
13:04She can't go to the family home in Warrington though.
13:06It's not wheelchair friendly and simply not safe.
13:10For Andries, it's an increasingly stressful and emotional situation.
13:16We're trying to get her accommodation.
13:22It's close by, but she can be a bit more part of us.
13:29It's tough on her.
13:32She would love me to be there every day.
13:36But she understands that I've got things to do here.
13:40We've been married for, what, 41 years?
13:44And you get used to somebody next to you.
14:03On site in Bendigo, in central Otago,
14:07the big push is on to get the van der Vesteisen family build watertight
14:11and locked off with the official start of winter only days away.
14:16The roof is on and everything's nearly ready for the glaziers to install the windows.
14:21Andries, however, has his mind on a feature of the house
14:25he has challenged designer Adam to get exactly right.
14:29When I spoke to Adam to look at the site,
14:33I said to him, I want a place in the middle that you can use year-round
14:39irrespective of the weather or the wind.
14:42And I think from that, the courtyard just evolved.
14:47Everything revolves around the courtyard.
14:50It's easy for Izet to get to and use.
14:52It's a space for family and friends to enjoy.
14:55And it brings natural light and ventilation deep into the house.
14:59Literally and socially, the courtyard is the centre.
15:10A few weeks later, progress in Warrington.
15:13Andries is packing up the old family home.
15:20We've sold, so it's another chapter that we close.
15:25He's also found a rental for Izet and himself about 30 minutes drive from Bendigo.
15:30It's not completely set up for Izet's needs, but it will do for now
15:35and allow her to finally leave the rehab unit at Dunedin Hospital.
15:40A bit of a relief.
15:42If a house didn't sell and the rental, we still need to pay for a rental,
15:48so it's two houses that we need to maintain.
15:53But now, things start to fall in place.
16:02Delint and Sam and their two young children are still in their rental in nearby Cromwell.
16:07And the cramped conditions are wearing pretty thin.
16:11OK, you need to eat, because you don't have a lot of time left here.
16:15Five-year-old Taysa's happy wherever her arts and crafts are.
16:20But her mum has more practical considerations.
16:23Her room is extremely cold.
16:25And space, as you can see, when she gets creative,
16:28it's feathers and buttons and crayons and everything, everywhere.
16:37Baby Brendan is bright as a button,
16:40which is surprising, since he's had very little sleep.
16:43Something that thrilled his parents sharing the same bedroom.
16:50Frankly, for this family too,
16:54moving into the new house in Bendigo will be the Christmas present they really need.
17:03Isette is now out of hospital and with Andris in their new rental.
17:07It's also a new space for her and Taysa to paint together.
17:16Isette's determined that despite her Parkinson's condition, nothing will get in the way of these special times.
17:23Let the paint do the work.
17:26However, she has had to change from her beloved pastel painting to another medium altogether.
17:32First day at rehab, I said to them, I want to try pastels.
17:35And I cried, because I draw a picture like a two-year-old.
17:39My fingers couldn't cope with it.
17:42So I just thought about myself, stop this, Isette.
17:44You need to find a way.
17:46And then I thought about watercolour, because it's very sort of forgiving.
17:50You know, it's fluid and if you make a mess, you can cover the mess.
17:55And it was very good for me.
17:57It made me realise that there's much more I can do that I haven't thought about even yet.
18:05Isette's family has always looked to her to make the decisions and get things done.
18:10She is the leader.
18:13They rely on me, especially the colours.
18:16You know, I'm the colour person.
18:18I feel I own something.
18:20It's not that they just...
18:21Because like Andy said to me the other day,
18:23everything was sorted until I came out of rehab.
18:26And I changed everything.
18:27And I changed it a few times.
18:29And I might still change it.
18:32One thing I suspect won't change, though,
18:34is Isette and Tayce's determination to have their own art studio in the new house.
18:42I think we can spend many hours doing what we're doing now.
18:46You know, you think so, Tayce?
18:48The time you have no one in the house.
18:50No, just ours.
18:52Yeah.
18:52Just you and me.
18:54It's a dream come true.
18:55Honestly, it's a dream come true.
19:05By June, the pace of progress on site continues to exceed expectations,
19:10despite the freezing cold.
19:13It's good for us to keep warm.
19:14I smoke at times sitting next door and that sort of thing.
19:16But, yeah, don't want the board sitting there for too long.
19:22The glaziers are installing the windows so the house can be closed off
19:26and work can focus on the interior.
19:29Something everyone's looking forward to.
19:34This is the time when we all come in and we're punching details here.
19:37What colour scheme here?
19:38What are we going to put in this area here, this here?
19:41I'm not part of that discussion because I don't have the imagination
19:44and I just pull myself out of it.
19:47It's easier for me to just say,
19:50Mm-hmm.
19:51Yes, honey.
19:54One, two, three.
19:55One, two, three.
19:56One.
19:56One, two, three.
20:21The LVL.
20:23Yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:24It's expensive stuff.
20:25This is laminated veneered lumber.
20:28Yeah.
20:28Instead of just...
20:30Well, I mean, the other materials are like pine in Oregon,
20:33that sort of thing.
20:34They just move too much down in Central.
20:35Like we have days where it can get up to 30 degrees
20:38and the next day might be 10 degrees.
20:40So, what this does essentially is it saves us time on site
20:43from having Australia in all the walls.
20:44Yeah, and I've just noticed like a wobble. Don't lean on that one. Okay, that's to be fixed
20:52Now Andres has sold the Warrington house and Izette has left hospital
20:57I'm really hoping he can take a breath and take in what's happening here
21:02Does it feel how you imagined it?
21:06I think the courtyard is I would say even better
21:11It's quite satisfying isn't it being able to see all of the house right around you and it feels really
21:17protective
21:17I guess that's the point isn't it? Yes with the little views you get now framed
21:21Are lovely really lovely?
21:25Before the bacterial infection dramatically worsened is that Parkinson's condition the house didn't have so many modifications and additions now
21:34though
21:35Everything has to be usable reachable wheelchair friendly and safe
21:42There will be a long rail there and then there will be a
21:47Bench on the on the side, but you can open it. So you can sit sit on the bench and
21:52shower have a seated shower. Yeah
22:00At the stage of a build where most people would be absorbed by interior design and quality finishing
22:05The focus here is firmly on Izette and her continued well-being
22:10I'm genuinely astounded at the progress of this project
22:15What's happening here is that the project has huge meaning and the meaning is about getting is that back with
22:22her family
22:23That's what it's all about and so the builders are going above and beyond to get there and
22:28And to see that is genuinely moving
22:48July and all go inside the Bendigo build with electrical plumbing and heating installations fully underway
22:55The builders remain laser focused on getting the families in by Christmas
23:02At this stage we're hoping to have jib go on next month
23:06So yeah, we're all working towards that target and that means that we've got a good back end to a
23:11bit of grace to to get things done before Christmas
23:13With the build racing ahead Sam can start to visualize what his family's part of the house will be like
23:20The first bedroom here. This is
23:23allocated for my daughter
23:26Taysa
23:28Bedroom will be whatever she decides closet will be whatever she decides and
23:33This area here is going to be a little desk area where she can do her
23:39Her work. She says art drawing painting whatever, but yeah, that's what this area is dedicated for and she's lucky.
23:47She gets a big window
23:47I don't know how she got that but
23:51The house is steadily taking shape so I'm wondering what life will be like in this multi-generational home
23:58Which begs the question what actually makes a successful multi-generational design?
24:07Well, just outside Christchurch. I've come to visit a house that might provide a few clues
24:14I'm about to show you a house unlike any you've seen before a real architectural treat
24:20but also a unique spin on multi-generational living I
24:25Mean is that a house was that a spaceship?
24:29This 80 meter long house is divided into two halves with Bridie and Hamish McKinnon and their three sons at
24:36one end and
24:37Bridie's parents at the other I
24:42Love this window
24:44Links all the way along the kids desks there. Yeah, and big long hallway and everything and comes off off
24:50that and
24:51Every space even though we're on this continuation every space feels different as you yeah
24:56Oh, yeah three bedrooms and two kids bedrooms and yeah
25:00This is you at the end as you've got your own cabin. It's been quite a meander actually through your
25:06house
25:06And this is only half of the whole that's right
25:11Down the other end I find the older generation Rob and Christine Tom nice to meet you
25:17Tom so this is a bit shorter
25:19It's nice. You don't have the kids room slightly. We don't have the kids room this bedroom
25:23We do get the pitter-patter of little feet some mornings
25:26Ah, you know, we knock on the door. Yeah
25:29Isn't that nice all those extra experiences that you wouldn't get when you even live a few doors up the
25:34road
25:35Yeah, and then you can give them back quickly as well. Yeah, yeah, that's right
25:39We can lock and leave which we do a bit so no there's no downside for us
25:46Perhaps the secret to success here is this house is designed to let the three generations connect easily
25:53While still giving everyone the space to retreat when they want privacy
25:58We can go weeks without seeing each other and then sometimes we'll see each other every day
26:03It's a deliberate choice in the end. I love having them around and you know when we get along really
26:08well
26:08And it's yeah, it's it's great to have have them nearby
26:13Multi-generational living of course has never completely gone away
26:17However longer life expectancy the cost of housing and the increasing cost of living may all be factors in bringing
26:24it back
26:25I think for people who are incredulous about it
26:29It probably wouldn't work for them, but for us we see lots of benefit for our kids and for us
26:35living so close to family
26:37And it's a deliberate thing that we've chosen to do here. Yeah. Yeah
26:41The key here is thoughtful design
26:44The owners knew what they wanted and what would work and this stunning purpose-built house delivered
26:52The question is will a courtyard house be as successful?
27:03With the big move to the new house on schedule andres and is that are getting on with their life
27:08in their rental just outside the town of clyde
27:13Hello
27:24How is it?
27:26The new house getting built and getting to a stage that I can move and hopefully before christmas?
27:32So yeah, this is awesome going to my happy place. Yeah
27:35So in fact everybody should be living like this extended family together
27:39Otherwise you miss out on so many things
27:41I mean it will have its challenges because I sometimes see the old bull in a young bull, you know
27:48Yep sort of coming together with the bumping their heads
27:51But I think we we all you know
27:53I recognize that and we all need to realize to give each other a bit of
27:58You know slack
27:59Dylinta you are now making decisions together about the interior of the house and and so on
28:04So how's that going?
28:06It's actually going pretty well me and Dylinta are more like friends than mother and daughter
28:10I think she's my best mate
28:12And we've got a very very good relationship. I mean remember I was the project manager
28:17And I managed huge projects and I had lots of people responsible for and now here I am
28:23I have to ask for help and say, you know
28:27Please help me. I can't tie my shoelaces for me. Parkinson's is not the end of the world
28:33You know you there is something that you can still enjoy. It's harder
28:38You're never going to get better. You just need to learn to manage it better
28:41It feels like your motivation has kind of trickled out and percolated amongst
28:45Your family and the whole team you've you've inspired them and that's why I I had to get better as
28:51for these guys
28:52I had to get better because I couldn't
28:55Just fall apart because yeah, they're too important to me
29:02This however is clearly the calm before the storm the fast approaching whirlwind of finishing the new home
29:09And making sure is that is safe and well in her happy place
29:24I
29:25August on site in Bendigo only four months till Christmas when hopefully the house will be finished and the families
29:32can move in
29:33I don't know
29:35It's a big day for is that
29:37butters
29:38Sink me a veggie sink here
29:41She's making a rare visit to site with her new support person leaky
29:45And can see the tireless work so many people have put in so far getting the house ready for her
29:52We've widened this whole door so it's easy to come in
29:56But she's also here on business
29:58Inspecting the custom design features to accommodate her needs and to sign off her interior color choices
30:07You wanted these walls painted like that
30:10Yeah, it's a beautiful color, but it's so dark
30:12Yep
30:13I mean people won't see this just us, but so we need to be happy with her
30:17Yep
30:17Yep
30:17It seems Andries has thought of everything
30:21Even Isette and Taysa's new art studio
30:26The plan is to take it out there against the rocks
30:30Okay
30:30But it doesn't block the view, but it's easy accessible for you
30:35But don't go out there now
30:37It might be wobbly
30:38I might never come back
30:42Proud
30:43Feel proud
30:44This showed me that you know hanging in there the dream comes true
30:48I'm in my happy place
30:55Rolling into november and christmas in the new house is now looking highly likely
31:04Lead builder ben and his team have moved heaven and earth
31:07And the move-in date has actually been brought forward
31:13We had a date of just around christmas
31:15We've pulled that forward given a bit of time to prep for christmas
31:17So we agreed that the seventh was probably achievable for that
31:23Hardly the time then you'd think for last minute design changes
31:27However
31:29We've got a core 10 steel pit that's going to go in
31:31It's going to be a circular in the deck so that's going to be a zed's tree
31:36I don't know what tree it is going to be yet, but um
31:39Yeah, it's going to look really really cool in the middle of the deck
31:42But it's not just the builders feeling the pressure
31:44Sam and the lint are having some issues in their wing of the house
31:49I told you that couch is massive. I think it's too big
31:52I think you got the measurements wrong
31:55Aye
31:55Yeah
31:57That is there's no such couch that big
31:59There is
32:00We have to be out of our rental very very soon even before this house is done
32:05So the pressure is really on to get it done
32:07Because otherwise we're going to be homeless and nowhere to go
32:11I want to have to go look at the shop and see if there's if it's actually 3.150 that
32:15way and that way
32:17And if it is then it's a no
32:19Then it's a no
32:20Okay
32:26The earlier move-in date had me scrambling to get down for my last progress visit
32:31And to catch up with donald the family member who's been quietly living here for some time already
32:38Things are changing. Yeah
32:40You were kind of in peaceful a peaceful idyll
32:43Yeah
32:44On your own with the land and now you're being invaded by all of the family
32:48Yeah
32:48How's it feel?
32:50Interesting I'm seeing them definitely more and more often now
32:53Which is not a bad thing it's good
32:55They're all going to live together in this wraparound house
32:59Luckily it's not me
33:01Yeah and you're you know a little bit away
33:03Yeah the outlier
33:04Yeah
33:04And as I keep saying is luckily there's at least two lock gates between us
33:09So there's a little bit more of a buffer as well
33:12Does this mean that Sam and DeLint they'll be working as hard as you do?
33:16I hopefully hopefully
33:18Sam definitely helps a lot
33:19He's the muscle
33:20Usually I don't even have to lift it myself
33:22He just picks it up and
33:23Get out the way donald
33:24Exactly
33:25You're going to hurt yourself donald
33:26The project yes really good for your mum to have a focus
33:30It's also a thing that brings a family back together
33:32Yeah
33:33Yeah well it requires I think collaboration within the family
33:38Like otherwise you'd never get anywhere with a project either the house or the vineyard
33:43Or any in terms of family projects
33:45So it requires collaboration
33:48And it just basically gets us closer really
33:56I'm sure the builders and Andres have a detailed plan for the final push in the next few weeks
34:01But I tell you what
34:02I can smell the Christmas roast already
34:06Well this is the family table room where we're standing
34:09Yes
34:10So are you already imagining that Christmas dinner or is that a little bit too far off?
34:16No, no I can imagine
34:18I know is that I've already
34:21Uh invited the world to to uh to kend on Christmas
34:27So uh it's great that we know now yes
34:31Yeah
34:31We will be ready
34:33Well I believe it I can I can see the spreadsheet before me planning out that you know those days
34:38to the seventh
34:39Pressure's on Ben
34:41I believe I will make it
34:47Andres exudes such confidence doesn't he
34:50And you know what
34:52I believe him they're going to be in before Christmas
34:54People say it these guys I think will do it
34:57The only thing is with this house
35:00As has always been the case
35:02There's a different story
35:04Christmas isn't always that relaxing
35:06Despite best intentions
35:09And here at Christmas is when the real test begins
35:21It's remarkable that just 53 weeks ago I was here on site first day no house
35:28And in that time a house has been built that does so much more than most all those overlays two
35:34families
35:35Isette's needs
35:37Built on a rock
35:38And so I wonder what will we find will we find multi-generational domestic bless
35:44Will there be something else
35:53And look the house finally reveals itself
35:56But only just though it sits so quietly in this landscape
36:07It feels like they've moved heaven and earth and giant boulders to make this place
36:12Then these little glimpses of transparency through to the valley beyond
36:17It's lovely
36:21Andres
36:23How are you welcome back
36:25Thank you well it doesn't feel like i've been away very much at all
36:28I mean the house was in pieces but now
36:30Yes we sit through the boulder the 7th of december and the 7th of december we moved in
36:37Fantastic please come in
36:40Oh now look
36:42You see it's a courtyard house straight away
36:44Yes
36:45It's right there
36:45Isette always wanted that tree in the middle and she got it
36:50Yeah i can imagine a big tree there shading this courtyard
36:53Yep
36:54But at the moment what you get is this lovely range of little views
36:59It's a complex house isn't it apparently simple as you approach it
37:03Yep
37:04But then full of sophistication maybe a bit like you
37:07Yeah but i'm just plain simple
37:14Oh now this is a treat
37:16Oh the vineyard view
37:19It stretches right up beyond our eye line above the hills there and then
37:24Kitchens in the center of the house
37:28That's where all the different ages come together you're not isolated you can connect to the lounge
37:35Through to the dining or when people's in the courtyard see what everybody's doing yeah
37:44But while the house is designed to support what everybody's doing
37:47Its primary focus has always been on the well-being of one family member in particular
37:54Hey
37:57How are you i'm spectacular really excited to be here and see you again good to see you too and
38:04you look gorgeous
38:04Thank you yeah i love the red hair i love the red hair yeah yeah yeah i'm on fire and
38:10this house
38:11You're finally at home
38:13Yes
38:13That's awesome
38:14This is what we wanted this is what we were dreaming about it's real
38:18Yes it's real and the house kind of reflects the outside as well doesn't it that's right colors the timbers
38:25Yeah i mean what we try to do is to get the central otago colors
38:29Through the house and i think we achieved that
38:39This is where is it can sit in the afternoon and this is where we will have the art studio
38:46That's to come it never stops does it you thought you'd finished
38:51Also on the western side the couple's master suite including a large wardrobe and bathroom
38:56With the comfort and safety features that is that needs
39:02Oh and is that's here you've beaten us to it always yeah this is the very specialist window yeah
39:09This is this is my height yeah yeah yeah and then on that side if you look out you see
39:14the stars
39:16And i have to say the hardware in there it's all really finely designed and that's really difficult with an
39:21accessible bathroom
39:22It is but i wanted to make sure it doesn't look like the old ladies bar food
39:27Definitely doesn't look like that yeah i love it yeah i do love it
39:33Completing the western side of the house is separate guest accommodation
39:36And a well-stocked wine cellar hardly surprising for a house on a vineyard
39:43Across the courtyard on the eastern side is the family unit for sam de lint taser and brendon
39:52So this is how it works just a little short hop across and you're in your own private area
39:58Yes it's great yeah like we're close enough to do everything together
40:02But then we also have our own private areas to do what we need to do
40:05So you can slide the doors closed yeah and then yeah but that doesn't help you still hear dad on
40:10the tv
40:11Right and you can still see him yeah so you know he's there yeah
40:15Can you still maintain that family unit here you know can you can you be just you guys when you
40:21want to be
40:21Yes because obviously mum needs her quiet time so we keep the kids here they keep themselves entertained
40:27Yeah so you recommend it to anybody yeah it's great
40:30So that's the lint and her parents happy but what about son-in-law sam
40:37Everything's just different more space more time
40:42bit of peace
40:44But peace amongst chaos
40:46Well okay family life's chaotic isn't it you can't you can't escape that we you know you don't want to
40:51you're you're all here together
40:52So does it make that easier having everybody here now?
40:56Yeah, it draws you nearer just having family together. We can all work together and support each other
41:02Myself and is it we just always say how lucky we are
41:17Well, this is a very cool house and from where i'm sitting spectacular views
41:22I can say that about quite a few houses what is remarkable here is that this house shows what a
41:29builder can do to change your life
41:30That's the idea right well it uplifts is my spirit
41:34Yeah, this is where i wanted to be now i'm here should other people do this
41:38It depends on the family dynamics. Yeah, because it can be kind of something
41:45Is that why donald's slightly downhill
41:592.1 million, I think was the ambition here. Do you know how much the house cost?
42:05Yes, of course you do. Are you going to tell me? Yeah, it's around about just over 2.2
42:13Yeah, well, that's very close
42:16Yeah, yeah, you had a remarkably fast construction process. You must be pretty happy if you choose for right team
42:23It makes life a lot easier
42:32It's great to have the grandchildren here
42:36We can hear little brendon in the in the morning crawl all the way to our place some mornings
42:44Taysa will come and just jump in bed and cuddle with us and I think that's something special
42:50And now i'm here that just makes me feel like I need to be alive. I've got so much to
42:56live for
42:59I have to pinch myself sometimes to realize that it's really happened
43:06Yeah, it's just amazing so dreams can come true
43:16This isn't a flashy house instead
43:18It's one that sits quietly nestled in and connecting with this stunning landscape whilst at the same time being
43:26quietly
43:27Brilliant brilliant because it delivers on so many levels
43:33It's given is that her freedom back a freedom to enjoy being herself and living with extended family
43:40And by having those extra considerations and dealing with them so effortlessly
43:45This house isn't one that's compromised or adapted. It's one that is empowered
43:51And isn't that what good design should do take challenge and create opportunity
43:57And this is opportunity
44:01delivered
44:10the
44:17oh
44:22oh
44:23oh
44:26oh
Comments