Surrounded by established vegetation and overlooking Whangapoua Beach, the design of this house is a direct response to its site and exposed coastal location. An existing cottage constructed in the 1970s near the back of the property was to be kept and refurbished, while a new 2-storey block with a gabled roof was built closer to the dunes. Linking the two blocks is a cloister-like walkway that encloses a central courtyard.
This roughly ‘U’ shaped plan wrapped around the courtyard provides spacious outdoor living sheltered from sea breezes and captures the afternoon sun while maintaining glimpses of the sea through the house.
The new block overlooks the beach and is angled to capture views up the coast towards Great Barrier Island. Bathed in natural light from all sides, it contains the kitchen, dining, and sitting spaces and a guest bedroom suite at the ground level. There is easy flow outside to generous decks on the seaward side and back into the paved courtyard through bi-folding doors from the dining area.
A variety of ceiling heights and rich materiality distinguish the various spaces. The entry and dining zone have the feel of a glazed-in porch lined in vertical cedar matching the external cladding. A steel and hardwood staircase connects the double-height sitting space with the owners’ secluded bedroom suite at the upper level, contained in a box-like form projecting towards the sea and providing shelter to the deck below.
The existing cottage was eventually found to be structurally unstable and too expensive to upgrade, so a simple, single-storey guest suite and storage room opening off the courtyard was built to replace it.
A sense of warmth and calm pervades all the interior spaces which feature pale Eucalypt floors, bespoke timber cabinetry and a soft colour palette that enhances the relaxed seaside atmosphere.
Externally, the house is clad entirely in bleached cedar with window joinery and roofing in a soft grey, blending it seamlessly into its natural setting.
Kitchen and cabinetry design by Hamish Cameron Architecture.
