Revelation II

A Port Hills home framing city and coastal views through deep-set openings

AO Architecture designed Revelation II on a steep Port Hills site in Christchurch. The house uses solid plastered volumes and deeply recessed glazing to frame views across the city and coastline. Rather than opening every elevation equally, the architecture concentrates glass where the outlook matters and uses the depth of the building itself to provide shelter, shade and a stronger sense of enclosure.

Carving the view into the building

The upper level is formed as a series of substantial volumes with glazing set deeply into their faces. Those recesses give the windows depth and make the view feel framed within the architecture rather than simply sitting behind a glazed façade.

From inside, different openings pick up different parts of the outlook – city, coastline, sky and hillside – so the experience changes as you move through the house.

An outdoor room facing the coast

One of the largest openings becomes a covered terrace set within the upper volume.

A deep roof, side walls and timber-lined soffit give the terrace the enclosure of an outdoor room while leaving the coastal side open. That depth also provides solar and weather protection, allowing the space to remain closely connected to the living areas without exposing it completely to the hillside conditions.

The trade-off is clear: the deeper framing limits some peripheral openness, but in return the terrace gains shelter and a much stronger sense of occupation than an exposed balcony.

A vertical break through the centre

Between the heavier forms, a tall glazed slot brings light through the centre of the house.

A floating timber stair rises within this space, with open treads and a dark steel structure keeping the circulation visually light against the more solid architecture around it. As you move upward, the stair becomes the transition between the enclosed hillside side of the house and the more expansive living spaces above.

Solid behind, open towards the outlook

The rear of the house is cut into the hillside and remains comparatively enclosed, providing privacy and protection where the building meets the land.

Towards the view, the architecture opens selectively through full-height glazing, recessed terraces and deep window reveals. Timber soffits and ceilings continue through some of these openings, strengthening the connection between the interior and the sheltered exterior spaces.