cheshire architects embeds monolithic eyrie cabins into rural new zealand landscape

cheshire architects embeds monolithic eyrie cabins into rural new zealand landscape
image © jeremy toth

sitting among the rolling hills near kaiwaka, ‘eyrie’ is a project comprised of two autonomous dwellings by cheshire architects. modest in design, the two cabins are based north of auckland in new zealand and collectively boasts a quiet and contemporary response to its isolated and scenic environment.

the exterior is characterized by charred plywood panels
image © jeremy toth

their monolithic form references an avant-garde suprematist painting by the artist kazimir malevich. each measuring at only an area of 29 sqm, the constricted floor-plan posed a challenge but at the same time, enabled the design to be pared back to the bare necessities and essentials of everyday living. constructed using charred plywood, the holiday homes have two large openings, one orientated to frame the landscape, and the other acting as the entrance. several wooden hatches allow ventilation, meanwhile a skylight on the ceiling provides views of the sky at night. inside, one cabin is clad in light plywood and the other is black.

each were permitted with only a footprint of just 29 square meters
image © jeremy toth

despite its small footprint, the two level space uses refined and well-crafted finishes. along with their high ceilings, they don’t feel claustrophobic. with no designated pathways or routes, the diminutive retreats works with the uninterrupted, moody landscape and provides inhabitants with a poetic escape and off-the-grid experience.

there are two large openings: one functions as an entrance, the other as a window facing the estuary
image © jeremy toth

‘in these houses a history of prismatic abstraction is conflated with a poetic of small boats bobbing in a sea of grass. there are no doors. one climbs up boulders and in through a window instead. we hoped that in subverting the shorthand language of building these little constructions might feel like something other than – and more than – houses.’ – cheshire architects

plywood interior coupled with refined furnishings
image © jeremy toth

the simple kitchen space with views framing the grassy exterior
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a second level leads up to the bedroom loft space
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the project won the award for ‘home of the year 2014’
image © jeremy toth

embedded into the landscape, there is no paved pathway to access the cabins
image © jeremy toth

their monolithic appearance stems from a suprematist painting
image © jeremy toth

the twin cabins sit on an inlet of the kaipara harbor, new zealand
image © jeremy toth

the owners purchased the land and decided to construct the low-budget scheme orientated to the best views
image © jeremy toth

the cabins sit in complete isolation, away from any light pollution
image © jeremy toth

Home Of The Year 2014 from Jeremy Toth on Vimeo.