Meet Pukatea
Situated to maximise the sun’s warmth and inter-property privacy are two custom decks,
a concealed shed and a floating aluminium entrance canopy.
A customised version of FLiP’s original flagship model, the LOW2, Pukatea was a mid-pandemic build for Chris* in Eastbourne. Chris was looking for a temporary solution while she rebuilt her previous home, which she could later convert into an additional rental asset on her existing property.
Situated to maximise the sun’s warmth and inter-property privacy, Pukatea boasts two custom decks, a concealed shed to maximise storage and a floating aluminium canopy for additional privacy.
“The house I came from before was really quite big,” Chris says, “and I’d started to wonder if I could make use of the back piece of my land to build a second property on the beach side to live in while I rebuilt the existing house.” She began to do some research into pre-fabricated and smart housing and eventually found First Light and FLiP. “Smaller homes were only just starting to appear then; only a few companies were doing them. I liked that FLiP was Wellington-based and I liked the creativity of the First Light team in designing an energy-efficient home for the US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. The team felt like a good fit.”
She enlisted the team at FLiP to build Pukatea on her existing property, while First Light was tasked with re-imagining what had been her previous home. The result, she says, has been the best of both companies. “I liked the standard products and design elements that FLiP was using: thermally backed windows, an interesting roof line with a high ceiling and Abodo, NZ-farmed pine that’s all sustainably grown. It’s heat-treated - instead of preserved with chemicals - and fades off to a nice, sandy colour, unlike cedar which fades to grey. Then the First Light team helped add some interest with cool and well-considered decks, a porch and a block wall which works as an entry storage space and provides privacy between the driveway and the outdoor living spaces. I could’ve gone to Bunnings for a kit-set home, but I wanted something that would be funky and would look good with the new house that First Light has designed for me and which is now under construction.”
“I have really enjoyed living small. It’s easy to clean and the surface on the floors is a very convincing wood-veneered vinyl which is easy care, especially with dogs. I’ve been amazed at how well-built it is, the airtight construction means that in winter I’ve only had to use the heat pump on days when there’s no sun.”
Chris says she has decamped very well from her larger home into the LOW2 and has adapted easily to living a bit more efficiently. “I have really enjoyed living small. It’s easy to clean and the surface on the floors is a very convincing wood-veneered vinyl which is easy care, especially with dogs. I’ve been amazed at how well-built it is, the airtight construction means that in winter I’ve only had to use the heat pump on days when there’s no sun.” As one of FLiP’s first complete homes, Chris allowed Pukatea to be rigged up with a series of environmental monitors to track the performance of her home - temperature, humidity and CO2 measurements amongst others. This data has helped the team better all future FLiPs, recognising the need for such well-built homes to also be equipped with mechanical ventilation to ensure a healthy indoor environment all year round.
High ceilings and over-height doors bring a great sense of space, airiness and light to the modest floor area
The sloped wall creates additional storage through the kitchen and hallway and highlights the feature tiled shower.
Some of the best aspects of Pukatea, Chris says, are its sloping kitchen wall which creates additional storage and a great sense of space, airiness and light, despite occupying a modest 80sqm footprint. While not without its challenges, she says she also felt well-supported during the process of the FLiP build. “They were really helpful in the early stages of the process and gave me some good advice. The team came and looked at the site, took measurements and went away to talk to the Council about consents before coming back with a concept and a rough idea on price.
“I have been really happy with the products and the finishes which they took care of, right down to the door handles, so I didn't have to worry about those things. It took a lot of the stress away and now that I’m working with First Light on the main house, I’ve found that my process with FLiP has built my confidence. It’s not quite as daunting because I’ve done the FLiP already.”
Once her First Light build is complete, Chris plans to move in there and rent out Pukatea. “The FLiP’s an asset, really. It’ll be a great little rental; in hot demand. And if anything happens or I want to travel the world again, it’s great to know that I’ve got options.”
Abodo, NZ-farmed pine that’s all sustainably grown. It’s heat-treated - instead of preserved with chemicals - and fades off to a nice, sandy colour, unlike cedar which fades to grey.
*name changed for privacy
