Cross section

Designed by David Strachan, Strachan Group Architects (SGA)

From the architects:

This house was designed as a family holiday home for a mother, her three adult sons and their eventual families.

The site has extensive sea views from the northeast to the south and overlooks the rocky beach break of Daniels Reef.

The outlook was to hero Little Barrier Island and to provide scope to display carefully curated artworks.

These views, as well as a cross fall of seven metres across the site diagonally, from west to east, provided the natural context.

A vacant site to the northeast and neighbours overlooking from the north needed to be considered in the design process.

Spaces designed needed to be able to cater for a myriad of coastal activities; fishing, cooking, surfing, parking for cars and boats, a fish sink and a smoke house.

A guest suite, spa pool and a variety of outdoor spaces were also requested, all to fit a relatively small footprint.

The preference to design a council compliant scheme including a 200m² maximum building footprint, formed the “artificial context” plus the need for off-grid effluent and water supply.

The resulting plan is a split cruciform, providing axial views and cross ventilation in both directions.

In section, breaking the form into a twin roof pavilion allows for good floor to floor heights and volume shifts in the upper floor spaces.

The main upper floor plates are offset and arranged to direct views out to the sea from the entrance and living areas.

The kitchen extrudes to the north out to layered and screened outdoor living spaces.

The homeowner desired a selection of interesting textures and materials to complement her art collection and the powerful coastal environment.

Exterior materials were selected for longevity and minimal maintenance.

These soften and relax on the sheltered road side with bleached timber elements filtering through to the rich interior and intimate courtyard garden.

Extensive landscaping adds to the spatial experience and will thrive to further recede the dark forms into the hillside.

The project is a testament to the strength of collaboration between homeowner, architect, landscape architect and builder – and good reason for the owner to be happy and proud.

Designed by: Strachan Group Architects (SGA)

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Simon Devitt