Cliff hanger

Designed by Lee Turner, Turner Road Architecture

From the building designer:

Brief / design rationale

The owners approached Turner Road Architecture with an ambitious brief: to create a light, contemporary holiday home that embraced its dramatic cliffside site while blending harmoniously with the natural bush surrounds.

Their vision was for a home that felt at once sheltered and open, private and social, and above all, intrinsically connected to the beauty of Mount Paku and its sweeping views across Tairua Harbour and Slipper Island.

Fulfilling the brief

The design needed to provide flexible living for family and guests, with spaces that encouraged togetherness while also allowing privacy. 

Turner Road Architecture responded with a 106m² plan that positions the two bedrooms and ensuites at opposite ends of the house, linked by generous indoor and outdoor living areas. 

Each bedroom has direct access to the decks and walkways, ensuring independence for guests without compromising connection. 

Central to the home is an open-plan kitchen, dining, and lounge, where large sliding doors and an adjustable louvred roof system extend the living environment seamlessly outdoors.

Response to site & surroundings

The steep, challenging site 35m above the coastline was both a constraint and an opportunity. 

Rather than dominate the landscape, the home’s organic roof form tilts and folds in response to the mountain’s natural contours, subtly embedding the building into its setting. 

Timber walkways, expansive decking, and glass balustrades frame the views while maintaining transparency, allowing the landscape to remain the hero. 

Portions of the structure and deck cantilever over the escarpment, evoking the sensation of a treehouse suspended above the sea while preserving the natural rock and foliage below.

Functionality, creativity & space design

The plan is efficient yet highly functional. 

Built-in storage, a concealed laundry, and a cosy book nook ensure everyday practicality within a compact footprint. 

A striking roof window above the lounge floods the interiors with natural light, while strategically placed skylights and clerestory windows introduce both northern and southern light, softening the interiors and reducing reliance on artificial lighting. 

Passive ventilation, energy-efficient glazing, and thermally broken joinery further ensure the home performs as well as it looks.

Every detail was designed to balance comfort with drama, ensuring that the house is as liveable as it is spectacular.

Aesthetic response – style, detailing & materials

Western Red Cedar cladding, wide eaves, and recessed wall lines contribute to a light, contemporary aesthetic that harmonises with the native bush surrounds. 

The material palette is deliberately restrained and natural, enhancing the sense of weightlessness and ensuring the architecture recedes into the landscape rather than competing with it. 

Interior detailing, including a cedar-lined feature wall concealing storage, adds warmth and refinement, while large areas of glass frame the ocean outlook at every opportunity.

Overcoming challenges

The extreme slope, narrow access, and rock shelves demanded significant engineering innovation. 

A five metre-high reinforced retaining wall was anchored into bedrock to provide stability, while slim steel legs cantilever the structure over the escarpment. 

These technical solutions allowed the design to achieve both structural integrity and visual lightness. 

Conclusion

This home is a bold yet sensitive response to a challenging site, fulfilling the owners’ desire for a light, modern home that is deeply connected to its setting. 

With its innovative structure, refined detailing, and seamless indoor-outdoor flow, it stands as a striking example of contemporary New Zealand architecture that honours both people and place.

Story by: Trendsideas