At one with nature

When Sir Edward Coke wrote "for a man's house is his castle, and each man's home is his safest refuge" nearly 400 years ago, he struck a chord that has resonated far and wide.

The basic truth behind that statement extends to embrace hospitality for it is in our homes that we gather friends and family around us.

Landscape architects Natural Habitats updated this outdoor area to improve its amenity, says senior project designer Lloyd Atherfold.

"Key to the design was simplicity. As with any brief, there are functional elements to consider. It was important to provide a pool that fulfils the client's expectations, while remaining sympathetic to the surroundings and therefore not competing with the views to Lake Wanaka and the Remarkables beyond.

"Top of the clients' wish list was the requirement for a sizable poolside patio that would accommodate the needs of a large, multigenerational family. In terms of looks, the patio needed to be balanced with the proportion of the pool and views.

"Given the history of unstable ground, having easy access to pipes, which would usually be underground, was essential. The pipes are concealed beneath a timber border, which contains an open cavity that runs from the plant room to the various water inlet and outlets. Extreme conditions meant the use of high-quality materials was of equal importance."

Integral to the concept was the design of the new swimming pool. The previous kidney-shaped pool was 20 years old and had suffered earthquake damage, and there were concerns about its safety.

"While we had to remove the existing pool, the clients wanted to retain much of the established soft landscaping. This meant a carefully considered excavation plan was called for, with all works undertaken to ensure no damage to the surrounding plants occurred.

"Excavation was further complicated by a lack of access to the site. In the end, we had to build a temporary road through the clients' and a neighbouring property."

As well as addressing safety concerns, the clients also wanted to improve the transition between the house and the pool. To achieve this, the renovated area was raised 300mm, creating an uninterrupted connection between indoors and out.

Similarly, the pool's infinity edge sets up a smoothly continuous dialogue with the surroundings, merging into the alpine landscape. Complementing the pool is a paved entertaining area.

"One of the clients commented that the previous schist paving was too hot to walk on during the hottest parts of the day. This was a contributing factor in choosing a uniform light-coloured concrete paver as a replacement," says Atherfold.

"The concrete tiles won't get as hot as the schist, and will also retain their heat longer in the evenings, providing passive heating. Also, the combination of the dark waterline tile and pool plastering read as a solid mass to create continuity with the lake.

"The pool too, has amazing passive heating capacity. This mitigates the use of resources by reducing overall heating requirements."

A variety of regional plants was chosen to complement the alpine landscape and to supplement the existing foliage in the tiered garden.

"Behind the pool, a small set of stairs leads down to a sheltered enclave," says Atherfold. "Primarily this allows access to another feature of the blended landscape the plant room, which is discreetly hidden from view beneath what looks like a small patio extension."

Story by: Justin Foote

Photography by: Marina Mathews