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First Release | Davor Popadich: Design and Practice of Low-Carbon Residential Buildings in a New Zealand Coastal Town

Release Time:

2025-06-05

First Release | Davor Popadich: Low-Carbon Residential Design and Practice in a New Zealand Coastal Town

“We wanted the house to blend seamlessly with the surrounding natural environment, truly becoming part of the land. The core design concept is to shelter from the wind and rain, allowing the house to withstand New Zealand's variable climate while maintaining a connection with nature.”

The Popadich family bought this land in Hahei, a coastal town on the Coromandel Peninsula, seven years ago. They didn't intend to move there permanently. “Initially, we just wanted a place to camp,” Popadich said, “but we came here often, and the children increasingly loved it, eventually not wanting to leave. So we decided to sell our original campsite and build a home truly our own on this land.”

The design goals for this residence were clear—to meet the family's living needs while also supporting the couple's respective businesses. “My wife is very passionate about design,” Popadich said, “She is the main decision-maker in the family, and the children were also involved. We wanted the entire design process to be open, allowing everyone to find their voice and sense of participation.”

This low-carbon, timber-framed building uses a modular design and reused structural timber, significantly reducing waste during construction. The walls, ceiling, and floor are made of strong, untreated timber, which is not only environmentally friendly but also closer to nature.

The entire outdoor landscape is paved using a permeable design, following the original terrain and natural water flow paths to preserve the land's natural state as much as possible. Wastewater is treated and then introduced to areas where native plants are grown, promoting ecological cycling.

The roof also has a rainwater harvesting system with a total capacity of 75,000 liters, providing ample water reserves for dry seasons.

Davor Popadich Architects is an architectural firm founded by New Zealand architect Davor Popadich, located in Hahei, Coromandel Peninsula. The firm focuses on architecture, photography, and film creation, emphasizing the deep integration of space with nature, terrain, and locality.

Davor graduated from the University of Auckland School of Architecture with first-class honors. He is a founding member of the school's architectural research committee and a former director of Patterson Associates. He has received numerous awards from the NZIA and the New Zealand Design Institute, became an NZIA Fellow in 2013, and his works have been exhibited in New York, Moscow, and the New Zealand National Museum.

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