studio pacific architecture embeds family beach house into new zealand landscape

studio pacific architecture embeds family beach house into new zealand landscape

designed by studio pacific architecture, the ‘rawhiti bach’ is a holiday retreat that the clients requested to be built with the intention to last and be passed down to next generations of the family. located in new zealand, the architecture would be able to cater to intimate to large number of people.

all images © simon devitt

surrounded by greenery and lagoons on both sides, studio pacific architecture‘s conceived the main volume to accommodate the primary gathering spaces, main bedroom, informal ‘loft’ space, and boat store. together these contain a trace of the spatial arrangements of the previous ‘bach’, leading to a form designed as an assemblage of objects, with intended misalignments and quirks. it climbs out of the ground, projecting out towards the near and distant views.

the kitchen area opens out to the porch

additionally, another structure has been added nicknamed ‘the sleepout’. embedded into the hillside topography, the extension offers bedrooms set away from the communal bustle of the main building. the shutters on the façade provide the inhabitants control over the privacy and views to the landscape beyond and together with the light-wells that are integrated to manipulate the movement of light and air.

the buildings have been designed to be long lasting, be grounded in the site, engage with the landscape, reinforce the sense of place, and sculpt light and views. the richness comes from the choice of using a high level of craft, and bringing out the quality of the spaces using materials, texture, color, and grain. ultimately, the design looked to reinforce and provide for a multiplicity of ways to come together, and share memories.

project info:

location: rawhiti, bay of islands

floor area:
sleepout: 170m2
bach: 470m2

project team: nick barratt-boyes, peter mitchell, arindam sen and beth chaney

year completed:
completed 2013

primary construction materials:
sleepout: concrete, timber (cedar, jarrah), glass, steel
bach: concrete, timber (cedar cladding, purple heart deck, jarrah joinery frames, victoria ash interior linings), copper roofing, glass, steel

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