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A good look all round from Outdoor Living & Holiday Home Trends volume 2403
Sweeping ocean views would top the list for most people, when specifying their dream holiday home at the beach. In the real world, views such as these are harder to come by, especially if the property is not right on the beachfront.
The villa on these pages is at the top of a rise, one section back from the coastline, and thanks to a thoughtful design, it will retain its extensive sea views, even when a dwelling is eventually built on the sloping property in front.
Designed by David Page of Architecture Page Henderson, Te Kaha Villa is composed of three units that step down the site, connected by internal walkways. Each of these pavilions is framed by a cedar weatherboard wall and is orientated so the house radiates out like a fan to the view.
"The owners wanted to make the most of the views and the sun, while retaining some privacy," says the project's graduate architect, Greg Hughes. "So this house has two faces – one that looks out to sea, and another that frames a shady retreat, giving shelter from coastal breezes."
As the owners intended to rent out the home, the brief also specified four bedrooms that could be configured in several ways, to suit the needs of their guests. Located in a two-storey unit that includes the entrance, all the bedrooms have sliding doors across their full width, and open onto decks with views of the coast.
"The degree of enclosure and volume of space differs in each unit," says Hughes. "The villa opens up to guests and feels lighter and brighter as they move from the formal, private spaces, to the informal, entertaining areas."
The kitchen and casual dining area is in the second unit, between two walkways. Again, glass sliding doors along the length of the room take full advantage of the views. On the opposite wall, a wide bifold window doubles as a servery to the entertaining area on the deck outside.
The living and dining room area is in the third unit, at the far end of the house. This room opens out to sea views on two sides via full-width glass doors, which pull back from a red joinery post on the outside corner. Broad eaves extend over the seaward decks, and shelter the space from the sun. The third wall of the living unit opens onto the outdoor entertaining area.
"We wanted to produce a house that is in harmony with its environment," Hughes says. "Simple shapes and materials, along with modest roof lines, helped achieve this."
"An apt end point to a long journey and the start of a relaxed holiday," said the New Zealand Institute of Architects, when presenting Architecture Page Henderson with an award for the project.
Te Kaha Villa was designed to preserve magnificent sea views and to wrap around a fully-grown beech tree, which shades and shelters an outdoor entertaining area at the rear of the house.
The cedar house is built in three units, connected by short passageways. Floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors on the seaward side open the villa up to the view and cooling coastal breezes. The broad eaves give protection from the sun.
1 deck, 2 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 4 laundry, 5 entry, 6 walkway, 7 kitchen, 8 tree, 9 living room, 10 dining room.
Open to the sea on one side and a shady courtyard on the other, the large kitchen includes a long island which doubles as a workspace and casual dining area.
Short walkways, one with a window seat, connect the kitchen to the other areas, and add to a feeling of spaciousness in the house.
A feature wall of cedar weatherboard with a fireplace adds warmth to the open-plan living and dining area. The three other walls are made of floor-to-ceiling glass doors, which open onto surrounding decks.
The three units of Te Kaha Villa wrap around an outdoor entertaining area, giving a sense of privacy. Expansive glazing means the sea views can still be enjoyed from this side of the house.
Simple furnishings in natural colours and light tones complement the beach setting of the house. The flooring is made of particleboard, inset with strips of jarrah, making it well-suited to relaxed holiday living.
Credit List
Architect
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David Page, NZIA, Greg Hughes, Architecture Page Henderson (Te Puke, Bay of Plenty)
Cladding
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Cedar weatherboard, cedar-faced ply
Roofing
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Equus Duo from Equus Mid Northern
Lighting
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Halogen downlights from Ideal Electrical
Tapware
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Grohe from Zip Plumbing
Story by Jane McKenzie
Photography by Jamie Cobeldick
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