Selected Project
Bary Beach House - Coromandel NZ
Context The site is on the west face of a promontory at the south end of the beach, and as such is afforded shelter from most predominant winds. Thick native bush and a natural water course add to the rich Coromandel context. Brief Our clients requested that the house should blend into the surroundings and make the most of the views, both of the beach and up the coast. It should feel casual, but not small like a bach. Separate Guest accommodation was required but not such that it would interfere with a holiday for two. Materials had to be low maintenance and in harmony with the stunning natural surroundings. Light and airy, cool in summer, and warm in winter with Fireplaces Concept The plan form was proposed as a bridge that would span the small stream and as a structure could stand against the likelyhood of a land slip. We thought of a visitor’s approach to the house as more of a journey up the hill from the beach, than a search for the front door. The entry as such, is an open space between the two ends of the house. Bush on one side and views the other. The views from one end are rural and from the other end coastal, so the idea of a long building would make the most of the changing outlook. A long low building would be less visible from the road below, and a simple skillion roof was designed to capture rainwater, and provide consistent airflow across the building for summer cooling. A variety of indoor and outdoor spaces have been designed, to cater for winter and summer, day and night, a couple, or a crowd. They open up from one end to the other with sliding doors, to reinforce the informalities of life at the beach. The result is a home with a casual atmosphere, and volumes in harmony with the large natural environment. It is a refuge and a delight, and was great fun to design, with clients who appreciate the indoors, and the outdoors, and all they have to offer.
- Category
- Residential
- Location
