It sits on a relentless road flanked by apartments, with some 20,000 vehicles rolling by each day, but inside, the home is a safe haven with plenty of tricks up its concrete sleeve.
Architect Dave Strachan has created countless homes for others, but imagining a home for his own family meant he had plenty of skin in the game.
"We traded down from a 330 metre house to 230. Looking at the future - we have grandkids now. We need something that's really energy-efficient," Mr Strachan told Seven Sharp.
The home's windows are at the right height to catch the winter sun, which is inhaled up by the concrete inside and exhaled back into the home.
Although its gabled roof references its heritage neighbourhood, there's no denying the house is a standout.
"Architects can alienate, but we've had nothing but positive responses. People have stopped at the gate, and they all say, 'I love your house'," Mr Strachan said.
The steel gate keeps the grandkids in, but not the view.
"We're offering up that vista for people walking up and down the street - through our building. I like to think we're being a good neighbour."
However, the family haven't given up their privacy entirely.
"We've got 24 neighbours overlooking - how do we not make them feel uncomfortable as much as [making] us not feel uncomfortable?"
The home also boasts "a courtyard that's like a green breathing lung, protecting us from fumes down Mt Eden Road".
"Our power bills have dropped to less than a quarter of what they used to be," he added.
The neighbour that can see them best is the volcano across the street - and they're watching it just as closely.
"New Zealand architects, for a number of years, have been searching for an NZ-ness. What we do differently to the rest is we have a very strong connection with the landscape."
"If you treat north as the sun god, you can make any building better than it would have been than if you ignore that."
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