On-Trend Housing for Inner City

Working in one of Auckland’s most heritage-rich suburbs, Ginkgo Architectural Design set out to create four terrace homes for inner-city professionals that would feel genuinely considered and sensitive to their surroundings. The result is a development that contributes positively to Ponsonby’s established streetscape. 

“Ponsonby has a very distinctive architectural character. The surrounding streets are defined by elegant historic villas, strong façade rhythm and carefully proportioned streetscapes. Our intention was to design a contemporary terrace development that respects this context while responding to the increasing demand for well-designed medium-density housing close to the city centre,” says Kiki Wang of Ginkgo Architectural Design.

The design brief called for homes that felt considered and elevated, not repetitive, a real challenge in a suburb where the streetscape sets a high bar. “Rather than creating a uniform terrace façade, the design introduces vertical cadence, sculptural forms and layered material textures to create a distinctive yet composed street presence. The curved brick base and articulated upper levels help soften the building mass while establishing a clear architectural identity.”

“To complement this, we used Axon™ Panel Smooth in selected areas to create contrast between linear boards and smooth planar surfaces, helping to introduce layering and depth to the façade.” The colour palette ties the façade together: Oblique™ Weatherboard in warm mid grey Resene® Concrete grounds the development within its residential context, Axon™ Panel Smooth in Resene® Black adds depth and tonal contrast, and Ironsand joinery throughout brings cohesion to the overall composition. 

Secura™ Flooring was installed across the mid-floors of all four homes, selected for the structural performance demands of a multi-level residential build. It delivers a solid, squeak-free feel underfoot, is resistant to fire, rot resistant and resistant to moisture damage, and is compatible with carpet, tile and vinyl finishes.

“We specified Secura™ Flooring across the mid floors because it provided a robust and stable substrate that integrates well with the timber joist structural system used in the project. Compared with more conventional flooring substrates, Secura™ Flooring offers greater rigidity and durability, which is beneficial in multi-level residential developments. It also integrates efficiently with timber framing, allowing the design to maintain efficient structural depths while meeting performance requirements.”

For Ginkgo Architectural Design, the decision to specify Hardie™ fibre cement products across the project aligns with the practice’s broader approach to urban residential architecture. “We regularly work with James Hardie’s systems because they offer a reliable balance between design flexibility, durability and compliance clarity, which is particularly valuable in urban residential developments,” concludes Kiki. Projects like this demonstrate that higher-density housing can still be elegant, contextual and architecturally distinctive.