Houzz Tour: A Bayside Holiday House Sits Lightly on the Land
A stunning house overlooking Northland's Moureeses Bay negotiates with 500-year-old pohutukawa trees and ancient archeological sites
Catherine Smith
9 August 2016
Houzz New Zealand Contributor. A design addict from way back, I can't resist looking at other people's houses. And doing a tiny bit of styling and decluttering. Just a tiny bit.
Houzz New Zealand Contributor. A design addict from way back, I can't resist looking... More
Moureeses Bay may not be a name you’ll recognise, but it is a beautiful spot on the famous Tutukaka fishing coast of Northland, renowned for its white sand and ancient trees. Its neighbours include the famed Kauri Cliffs Lodge, and at only 45 minutes from Whangarei or two-and-a-half hours from Auckland, it’s a much-loved holiday spot. When a retired couple found a cliff-top property here two years ago, they called on Christchurch-based architectural designer Darren O’Neil to figure out how to make the best use of the tricky site.
Having 500-year-old pohutukawa trees and an archaeological site on the land meant there were strict environmental regulations to deal with. Add in a very small, steep platform permitted for building, and client and builder had to negotiate intricate hurdles along the way. The resulting exercise in careful planning produced an award-winning house.
Having 500-year-old pohutukawa trees and an archaeological site on the land meant there were strict environmental regulations to deal with. Add in a very small, steep platform permitted for building, and client and builder had to negotiate intricate hurdles along the way. The resulting exercise in careful planning produced an award-winning house.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: Moureeses Bay, Tutukaka Coast, Northland, New Zealand
Size: 300 square metres; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 living areas
Architectural designer: Darren O’Neil, O’Neil Architecture
Builder: Simon Crawford, Bella Homes
That’s interesting: The house is an Architectural Design Award winner, Resene Colour in Design Award winner, and the winner of a Master Builders House of the Year sustainability award.
The owners of this home had been one of O’Neil’s early clients when he started his practice 20 years ago, designing a large house for them on the outskirts of Christchurch. When they called him again two years ago, describing the delicacy of the site they wanted to build on, he jumped on a plane and headed north.
One walk around the stunning site and O’Neil was as smitten as his clients were with the breathtaking views of the beach, framed by the ancient trees. He reckons he had the outline of the house designed by the time his return flight landed back in Christchurch.
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: Moureeses Bay, Tutukaka Coast, Northland, New Zealand
Size: 300 square metres; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 living areas
Architectural designer: Darren O’Neil, O’Neil Architecture
Builder: Simon Crawford, Bella Homes
That’s interesting: The house is an Architectural Design Award winner, Resene Colour in Design Award winner, and the winner of a Master Builders House of the Year sustainability award.
The owners of this home had been one of O’Neil’s early clients when he started his practice 20 years ago, designing a large house for them on the outskirts of Christchurch. When they called him again two years ago, describing the delicacy of the site they wanted to build on, he jumped on a plane and headed north.
One walk around the stunning site and O’Neil was as smitten as his clients were with the breathtaking views of the beach, framed by the ancient trees. He reckons he had the outline of the house designed by the time his return flight landed back in Christchurch.
O’Neil’s brief was to have as little of the house as possible touching the earth, so that sensitive archaeological remains and tree roots were not disturbed. Not so much as a single tree branch had to be trimmed.
The simple, honest structure – a T-shape with wings cantilevered off a basement garage – is restrained, but disguises some pretty complex building. The base of the T facing the road, shown here, houses guest bedrooms and a sitting room. In the long edge, facing the sea, are living spaces and the master suite.
The simple, honest structure – a T-shape with wings cantilevered off a basement garage – is restrained, but disguises some pretty complex building. The base of the T facing the road, shown here, houses guest bedrooms and a sitting room. In the long edge, facing the sea, are living spaces and the master suite.
O’Neil knew he wanted a sculptural shape with clean lines and natural materials. As a result, the guest wing appears to float out from the basement garage. Stairs lead up to the main living floor.
He specified New Zealand cedar, laid vertically, to mimic the trunks of the trees for the home’s cladding. Already as the timber silvers, it is ‘disappearing’ into the site. Hidden from view is the engineering to fit tonnes of steel supports, because the benign site can be battered by the weather – hurricanes and winds up to 130 kilometres per hour, as well as heavy rain.
He specified New Zealand cedar, laid vertically, to mimic the trunks of the trees for the home’s cladding. Already as the timber silvers, it is ‘disappearing’ into the site. Hidden from view is the engineering to fit tonnes of steel supports, because the benign site can be battered by the weather – hurricanes and winds up to 130 kilometres per hour, as well as heavy rain.
A robust concrete and steel shell is lightened by glass on the entry stairs so that, as visitors climb, the view is hidden and then revealed.
Underpinning the house was a whole raft of energy efficiency measures: these include APL double glazed windows and extreme insulation, and a bank of 22 solar panels on the roof that not only supply all the family’s electricity, but also feed back into the grid. Tanks in the concrete plinth beside the garage store rainwater for the entire household as well as recycled grey water for garden irrigation, and waste is treated on site.
As well as capturing the view, O’Neil’s design ensures that every room receives a good amount of sun. Given the coast’s tricky winds, he created a second deck that is sheltered by the two wings of the house. It faces west, so gathers the last of the evening sun.
The owners, who have moved back here from Australia, are keen gardeners, and have created the natural landscape to mimic the native bush surrounding the house. Locally quarried rocks and gravel enhance the property’s sense of place.
As well as capturing the view, O’Neil’s design ensures that every room receives a good amount of sun. Given the coast’s tricky winds, he created a second deck that is sheltered by the two wings of the house. It faces west, so gathers the last of the evening sun.
The owners, who have moved back here from Australia, are keen gardeners, and have created the natural landscape to mimic the native bush surrounding the house. Locally quarried rocks and gravel enhance the property’s sense of place.
The house was designed to be comfortable when just the owners are in residence. The second living room gets all-day sun so is cosy for two in winter, but opens to the deck and view when extended family join them for the summer holidays.
The long wing of the house opens to an expansive deck, which drops away to a small lawn. From the inside, it appears as if the house is hovering over the view. Rather than installing an entire wall of glass – tempting with that view – O’Neil was careful to create a sense of enclosure, regulating and framing the view with a series of doors recessed into deep reveals, to create summer shade but admit low winter sun to the interior.
O’Neil says the clients had a very good design eye, specifying a lot of the fittings themselves. They were hands-on making decisions with the builders, who had a meticulous approach to finishing. Everyone was determined to use local suppliers, keeping in touch via frequent phone calls and emails.
The consenting process was pretty arduous, but O’Neil and his clients’ vision to enhance the beautiful site eventually won the council over. For the main wing, the layout was pretty simple: an open-plan kitchen, dining and living room with a master bedroom suite and a smaller snug off each end. The T-wing towards the street houses the three guest bedrooms and another sitting area off the terrace.
Here, the palette was simple, with ceilings finished in ply, negatively detailed to appear to float. The floor of Hebel aerated concrete topped by porcelain tile is heated by the sun, with a heat pump and double glazing to keep things cosy for winter.
Both homeowners specified the kitchen layout and finishes, with generous benches and an island for gatherings and entertaining. A long slit window gives the dish-washer views to the street and collects late sun.
A snug sitting room gets more framed views of the bay through the trees. Seen here, a driftwood light the owners sourced from Asia mimics the dappled shade of the ancient trees outside.
O’Neil wanted the master bedroom to dramatically hover over the landscape. Although there is land around the deck, from inside it appears that there is nothing between the bed and the beach.
A bathtub to one side hovers over the same view, with doors opening the bather to the outside.
In an area that is increasingly marred by giant look-at-me mansions built by out-of-towners, the client and designer determined that this house was going to be accepted by locals as one of their own. The simple, sculptural box has enhanced the spectacular site. Needless to say, the client and designer are thrilled at the awards the house has earned already, with O’Neil pointing out that the joy in a small, well-detailed property far outweighs the status of a huge mansion.
TELL US
What would your dream holiday site look like? Is small-is-beautiful your mantra? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
What would your dream holiday site look like? Is small-is-beautiful your mantra? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Absolutely beautiful home! I grew up going for swims at Moureeses Bay and it is the most perfect spot to retire. Very good choice! Love the way your home only lightly touches the earth.
Very dramatic.