Beach House Auckland

The concept for this beach house was around creating a journey, that surprises and delights, through three main ideas:

• A classic simple form on the exterior, with rich interior space sequences.
• Fine textural detail using a restrained palette of traditional materials.
• Spatial contrast between rooms (whether through light and shadow, texture, proportion or form).

The design consists of two separate Abodo weatherboard gabled wings facing the sea - a private family bedroom gable form, and a living room wing with skillion roof ceiling and exposed rafters. It was designed to have modest proportion from the road perspective with a low entry approach. But from the seaward elevation, balanced against the scale of the cliff, the house unfolds into a larger form, with a generous covered deck in front of the living room.

Two core stairwells access the upper floors, with  light skylights that penetrate into each gable roofline. These are not only way finders within the house, as light is cast against internal weatherboard walls, but also act as a means passive cooling. To maintain a sense of clarity, there are clear axis organisational principles. The journey to the varied vertical levels and rooms offers contrasting spatial experiences, but you are never ‘lost’ within the house – you are always only a step away from a sightline axis toward the main vaulted living room or towards the sea.

In a similar manner to a tailored suit, (or a White Stripes album)– the palette is carefully refined and limited to a few classic materials, timber sizes, and tones. We wanted to maintain a strong robust simplicity, crafting, and clarity in the detailing, but at the same time offer a rich tactile experience.

Resene Total Maestro Award 2021.

TIDA Highly Commended Award 2021

Master Builders Silver Award 2020.

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