Rising from the southeastern corner of the Three Kings site, the 5-level Caldera Apartments development has been crafted with Fletcher Living’s vision for “a village in the city” in mind.
Every element in the design of these premium residences has been considered in relation to the values: “Renew, respect, love” – a philosophy for living that builds on the past.
Acknowledging and restoring the mana of Te Tātau-a-Riukiuta / ‘Big King’ volcanic cone, a spiritual and physical landmark overlooking the site is central to this ethos. Careful planning of the site layout has maximised visual connections to the Maunga with distant views of Maungawhau (Mt Eden) and Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill).
The architectural response has been shaped by identifying and expressing aspects of the site’s geological and cultural heritage in the design, including the volcanic cone and caldera, the deep crater the scheme overlooks.
This has been expressed in the form of the solid façade material selection and its arrangement – assembled asymmetrically with balconies recessed into the building form. The floor banding articulated in concrete and lines in the brickwork further echo fractured basalt. Subtle differences in the arrangement of the façade elements serve to provide a unique identity for each wing of the building.