Contemporary holiday home in Wanaka by architect Thom Craig

When you live in the city and decide to build a holiday home in the mountains, you have an opportunity to enjoy a change of architecture as well as a change of scenery.

And that is just what the owners of this sculptural getaway home asked for when they approached architect Thom Craig .

The owners wanted a modern design for their Wanaka retreat, which they intended to retire to live in the future, says Craig.

"The design of this house is very much a response to its surroundings. Set between two nearby properties, it has a long, slender L-shaped form. The right-of-way leading up to the house, and the way the structure responds to the scenery and neighbours were formative considerations.

"From the parking platform, you cross the main decking before entering the home. Both decks are in the same elliptical form. Views from the main deck look to a similarly shaped headland on Lake Wanaka. Visually, this is like stepping from island to island to island.

"And a cantilevered element on this side of the house and the roof above it have curved bites taken out of them, that echo the ellipses."

These horizontal and vertical connections encourage the eye to read the house as part of the land and connect to and frame the banks of rolling clouds often seen in this alpine setting.

"The house is a fairly simple form under its sculptural roof, which blurs the edges of the base build and adds a sense of size and presence," says the architect. "The black zinc cladding folds over to form the roof plane and the walls are articulated to angle windows towards views and away from adjacent properties. White plaster panel inserts in the metal add interest and contribute to a palette that has empathy with the surrounding mountainous landscape."

A double-height atrium at the juncture of the L shape forms the entrance to the home. Large windows show off the exterior curves, a reminder of the connections to land and sky.

Craig says this central volume sets up a dramatic welcome and enhances the intimate feel of the single-level adjoining spaces.

Meeting the owners' brief, the interiors present versatile living options. The main open-plan living area and master suite are at ground level, with more bedrooms and a second living space located on the level above.

"Designing a house outside the conventions of living downstairs and private spaces upstairs not only future proofs the home for when you don't want to climb the stairs, it also opens up outlooks. With an elevated second living room, we were able to capture 360° views all the way around the home."

The open living areas and kitchen are laid out so the chef can cook and enjoy the scenery at the same time.

"Kitchen designer Ingrid Geldof created the modern kitchen, which continues the black and white colour scheme," says Craig. "All too often a great kitchen is introduced into a home without establishing a direct relationship with its environment. Here, the cantilevered kitchen ceiling directly echoes the exterior overhangs, and the curves of the roof forms and decks are echoed on the front of the island."

"This holiday house connects to its setting in practical ways, too," says Craig. "The narrow footprint is ideal for efficient cross ventilation, and the overhangs help mitigate the heat of the midday sun. Indoors, the concrete floors work well with the two-tone surfaces and are easy to maintain and keep clean."

Story by: Trendsideas