Clive Barrington Construction won the 2021 Master Builders Canterbury Supreme New House of the Year Award for a house that steps outside the square to create an artwork in itself.
The Fendalton, Christchurch house captures the changing light, sun and shadows beneath a roof that soars and swoops over three separate wings.
The design created major construction challenges, however, the builder relished in delivering a home of supreme quality and merit.
An audacious copper roof flows over a double-storey sleeping wing and two separate living wings, while at the ground level three concrete wings project out of, or recede into, the shelter of the soaring copper canopy above.
Barrington began his career early; starting with reassembling his cot to his own exacting specifications and smoothing his porridge with a spirit level.
His drive for perfection in the building industry saw him on the winner’s podium at the Master Builder of the Year Awards many many times.
Specialising in creating sublime homes across the greater Canterbury region on sites that ranged from the challenging to the outrageously problematic, Barrington continues to push for excellence across the building sector, working in partnership with architects and clients with outstanding result.
A strong investor in the future of construction, Barrington has supported the Apprentice of the Year Awards and been President of the Master Builders Association.
Barrington’s contribution to the industry is considered unparalleled in Canterbury and he is appalled, and quite frankly amazed, to find himself dangerously close to being something of a benchmark for younger builders.
He built seriously good houses, planted a forest so he would always have a supply of seriously good wood, and grew his own grapes so there was never a shortage of seriously good wine.
Fortunately he also built himself some seriously strong relationships with every architect in town and a seriously good team.