The parents’ suite is on the ground floor, but their relationship with the rest of the house was never intended to stop there. At Fjord House, an integrated lift and level entry form part of a wider plan for several generations to live together in Aotea.

The owner’s brief focused on accessibility and quality of life for his parents, alongside a home with architectural presence and harbour views. A multi-storey arrangement could make use of the setting, but it also made movement between levels central to how the family would occupy the building.

Modal Architecture placed a suite for the parents at ground level, with primary living needs considered on that floor. The lift connects this accommodation to the wider home. The two decisions work together: the suite gives the parents a private base, while the lift supports participation in spaces on other levels.

The shared areas are arranged around light, framed outlooks and connected outdoor spaces. Double-height glazing introduces a larger scale to parts of the interior, while the views give those spaces a focus beyond the building. Shading forms part of the response to sunlight, accompanying the generous glazing rather than leaving its implications to be resolved later.

Sketches and three-dimensional modelling were used to develop the design and coordinate its different requirements. Accessibility sits within that architectural process, shaping the arrangement from the outset rather than becoming a set of later additions.

Fjord House gives several generations a shared home without requiring everyone to use every space in the same way. The ground-floor suite, lift and connected common areas offer a particular response to that ambition: independence within a home for several generations.