THE MICHAEL HILL CLUBHOUSE

THE CONCEPT

Few sports adhere to tradition quite like golf and one of its most stubborn traditions of all is clubhouse architecture.

All too often clubhouses are faux historical buildings set ‘’out of bounds’’ with no relationship to sports principle connection - the land and the environment.

Patterson Associates redefine this notion of golf clubhouse buildings with their design for The Hills.

People often refer to the building as ‘’the Wedge’’ and you can see why. The power of a professionals swing is captured in a 200-tonne cantilevered raking concrete roof supported on just three taut muscular steel struts.

Pattersons have lined the roof in GRC panels with integrated heating and acoustic design and topped it in living Turf. It’s the size of a fairway and rises out of the ground, crisply floating in the alpine air.

Underneath, stark white architectural shapes, dimpled like some sort of cubic golf balls, are arranged to contain the interior spaces.

Less than a quarter of the Clubhouse protrudes above the grass. The cart store, workshops and service areas are all subterranean.

And in what might be a world first, the building is situated within the playing bounds. If a ball lands on the grass roof, the player takes the shot from there.

The result is a seamless integration with the landscape but haunting in a contemporary way and overwhelmingly sporting in feel, all at the same time.

THE INTERIOR

Inside the Clubhouse is unbelievably luxurious. Two bespoke colour therapy spas are buried deep underground behind walnut paneled changing rooms.

A large private gym is flanked by a reflecting pond. Here you can exercise under dancing ripples of sunshine before being pummeled and bathed in violet light by an expert masseuse.

Dressing happens under huge 3m square skylights with views of the mountain sky above.

The main bar and dining is a gorgeous light filled grandstand overlooking the 18th green. It is surprisingly intimate. An 18 seater contemporary dining table is framed by a huge inglenook fireplace hewn from dimpled textured white aluminium.

The bar runs the full length of the space. It’s long and elegant; a wedge of walnut surrounded by full sided tooled leather stools.

All rooms are set around an elegant fireside courtyard designed for theatrical and formal events with a secret service tunnel connected behind.

THE BRIEF

“I said a one liner - when players and spectators come here, I want them to go away saying ‘Wow’! Wait till you see the Clubhouse” – Michael Hill

Pattersons interpreted this as Michael wanting ‘’the ultimate Private Box,’’ where guests could feel an intimacy and belonging with the game, the environment and their fellow guests.

THE ARCHITECTS

Patterson Associates are arguably New Zealand’s most internationally recognised architects and the Clubhouse, as well as winning New Zealand’s most prestigious design accolade – the New Zealand Institute of Architects Supreme Award 2008, has been selected as one of the 9 Best Sports Buildings in the World – By The World Architecture Festival. Also selected are Beijing’s Water Cube and London’s Wembley Stadium,

Patterson Associates Ltd, is the only New Zealand Architectural Practice to be published in Phaidon’s 10 x 10 book of the world’s best architects.

Pattersons other Queenstown building of note is the AJ Hackett Bungy building only a few kilometres away in the Kawerau Gorge. It is also underground.

THE VISION: AT ONE WITH THE LANDSCAPE

At the core expression of Pattersons design is the term appurtuant – an old Saxon word which means to ‘’belong naturally’’.

"The impression we want is that buildings are formed by the same forces that shape the land spiritually and geologically,” say Patterson Associates.

BUILT TO BE SUSTAINABLE

Water waste and energy are all contained within the site locally. By optimising the sites solar potential, maximising energy efficiency and utilising materials with low embodied energy and a long life, the Clubhouse is a sustainable building with low visual and environmental impact.

Patterson refers to it ‘as a system’. The landscape sustains the building, the building sustains the landscape.

Central to the design is its ‘green roof’ planted with native tussock. In addition to providing low visual impact, the roof design significantly increases the buildings’ insulation and thermal mass to maximise natural climate control.

What limited applied energy it needs is provided by an embedded under floor water heating system.

Patterson says “At their highest level, the ecology of a building which is measurable, and its poetics which aren’t, are essentially the same”.

UNIQUELY NEW ZEALAND

The Clubhouse is perhaps Patterson Associates clearest expression yet of a unique philosophy.

“In the last 50 years, wave after wave of overseas architectural philosophies have been tried out in New Zealand, but none of them have been ‘ours’. None has had the sense of ‘New Zealandness’. “Often, they are solutions for cultures that exist somewhere else”, says Andrew Patterson.

“We hope it communicates Pacific thinking on how structures can become part of the environment and purpose without compromising it” - Patterson Associates.

ARCHITECTS CONTACT DETAILS

Patterson Associates Ltd
Andrew Patterson – director

Luminous Building 2
22 Garfield St, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand 1052
PO Box 8778, Symonds St, Auckland, New Zealand 1150
Ph: 64 9 303 4004
Mob: 021 922800
Fax: 64 9 303 4001
Email: andrew@pattersons.com
Website: www.pattersons.com

CREDITS

Builder - RBJ Ltd
Engineers - Tyndall and Hanham Ltd
GRC - Unicast Ltd
Frameless Double Glazing - Thermosash Christchurch
Precast Concrete - Bradfords Precast Ltd
Aluminium Dimple Panels - Metal Concepts Ltd
Joinery - Coronet Woodware Ltd
Custom Furniture – Cruikshank Furniture
Furniture – ECC Lighting and Living, Matisse
Hardware – Katalog
Keyhole Door – Mark Hill

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