Easy As: Kiwi Baches That Keep Things Simple
Discover how New Zealand architects are reinventing the bach without sacrificing its unique charms
Simon Farrell-Green
17 October 2017
Once, a bach meant a fibrolite shack, probably built from demolition materials, a tiny water tank that collected rain water off the roof and tents on the lawn for extra visitors. All of this is very romantic of course, unless you’ve spent a lot of time in one. It’s not surprising, therefore, that beach houses are getting ever larger and more complicated – with the unfortunate result that coastal subdivisions are now looking increasingly like suburbia.
The following houses, by contrast, manage the seemingly impossible, showing that style at the beach means reducing the essence of a holiday to a few spare – but beautiful – details.
The following houses, by contrast, manage the seemingly impossible, showing that style at the beach means reducing the essence of a holiday to a few spare – but beautiful – details.
Screen time on Great Barrier Island
Among New Zealand architects, few have captured the charm of the bach so cleverly as South African-born Lance and Nicola Herbst. At the Timms bach on Great Barrier Island, the Herbsts reduced the design to rooms connected by covered decks, sheltered by sliding timber screens.
Among New Zealand architects, few have captured the charm of the bach so cleverly as South African-born Lance and Nicola Herbst. At the Timms bach on Great Barrier Island, the Herbsts reduced the design to rooms connected by covered decks, sheltered by sliding timber screens.
An open breezeway leads to the bedrooms. In winter, the sliding screens can be closed down but in summer they stay open.
The living areas are snug for winter getaways – there is a fireplace for warmth, while in summer the room opens up with sliding doors and louvres.
The design might be simple, but the detailing is exquisite with a layered use of different timbers.
The design might be simple, but the detailing is exquisite with a layered use of different timbers.
A large covered deck sits to one side of the living area and can be opened or closed depending on the weather. The owners are able to eat out here year-round thanks to the roaring open fire – there’s no getting away from the elements in this house.
See more photos of this project
See more photos of this project
Small but perfectly formed at Sandy Bay
At Waiheke Island’s Sandy Bay, Julian Guthrie paid homage to the bach by splitting the building in two under one roof – you have to go outside to get from the living room to the bedrooms.
Cedar board-and-batten cladding and a simple deck complete the look.
At Waiheke Island’s Sandy Bay, Julian Guthrie paid homage to the bach by splitting the building in two under one roof – you have to go outside to get from the living room to the bedrooms.
Cedar board-and-batten cladding and a simple deck complete the look.
Guthrie played with mid-century colours in the kitchen, which also has simple stainless-steel benches for easy maintenance.
The roof comes down low over the living area – in winter, this makes for a snug spot to sit by the fire.
The roof comes down low over the living area – in winter, this makes for a snug spot to sit by the fire.
Instead of a large deck, Guthrie designed a simple platform that encourages people to drift down to the large lawn.
And instead of a front doorstep, he had the builders place a large rock – excavated from the house’s footings – beside the front door.
And instead of a front doorstep, he had the builders place a large rock – excavated from the house’s footings – beside the front door.
It’s still flasher than most traditional bach bathrooms, but Guthrie kept things simple here too. Instead of tiles, he lined the walls with Seratone panels which are easy to keep clean (because who wants to clean grout on holiday?), and lined the floor with timber decking. A repurposed claw foot bath – painted orange – is great for a long and relaxing soak.
Take a tour of this house
Take a tour of this house
Plytime on the Coromandel
With the Studio 19 Bach at Onemana on the Coromandel Peninsula, Strachan Group Architects used simple bunks made of plywood to house children and extra visitors – after all, when you’re at the beach the focus isn’t on bedrooms but getting outside and spending time together.
With the Studio 19 Bach at Onemana on the Coromandel Peninsula, Strachan Group Architects used simple bunks made of plywood to house children and extra visitors – after all, when you’re at the beach the focus isn’t on bedrooms but getting outside and spending time together.
Built-in furniture is a nice touch – though it's also practical and hard-wearing. The house is lined with plywood throughout: it's a nod to traditional hard-wearing materials but it also reduces cost because it's self-finishing.
The bach was built by students as part of their architecture studies at Unitec – much of the house was pre-fabricated in Auckland and then assembled on-site.
A breezeway in the middle of the house provides access to the outdoors as well as much-needed extra living space.
See more photos of this project
A breezeway in the middle of the house provides access to the outdoors as well as much-needed extra living space.
See more photos of this project
Out of the box on Waiheke Island
On Waiheke Island, modular design-and-build company Box Living designed a simple bach clad in corrugated steel – a reference to the hard-wearing building materials of traditional baches; often built from demolition materials.
On Waiheke Island, modular design-and-build company Box Living designed a simple bach clad in corrugated steel – a reference to the hard-wearing building materials of traditional baches; often built from demolition materials.
A jaunty yellow front door sets off the dark grey cladding and is guaranteed to put its owners in a good mood. Box used cedar cladding on less-exposed faces, which will silver and weather over time.
Take a tour of this house
Take a tour of this house
Container for living at Otama Beach
At Otama Beach on the Coromandel, Ken Crosson designed a bach that can open and close to the elements – when the owners are away, the house closes up like a shipping container …
At Otama Beach on the Coromandel, Ken Crosson designed a bach that can open and close to the elements – when the owners are away, the house closes up like a shipping container …
… and when the owners arrive, the timber sides fold down to become decks.
As the exterior has aged, the interior – protected from the elements – has stayed the same, so the building increasingly resembles a freshly cut piece of timber.
Prime soaking position at the Coromandel Bach: Crosson designed a bath on wheels that rolls out onto the deck to take in the view.
See more photos of this project
TELL US
What does your dream bach look like? Tell us about it and share a photo of it in the Comments section.
MORE
Houzz Tour: A Bach on Waiheke Island With an Unusual Twist
Picture Perfect: 25 Decks That Look Into the Wilderness
Houzz Tour: Surf’s Up for Beach Hut on Sleds
See more photos of this project
TELL US
What does your dream bach look like? Tell us about it and share a photo of it in the Comments section.
MORE
Houzz Tour: A Bach on Waiheke Island With an Unusual Twist
Picture Perfect: 25 Decks That Look Into the Wilderness
Houzz Tour: Surf’s Up for Beach Hut on Sleds
Related Stories
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Beachside Grand Dame's Tender Renewal
A historical home – half hidden and entirely rundown – gets a new lease on life with a conscientious renovation
Full Story
Picture Perfect
30 Dream Coastal Homes to Travel to from Your Armchair
Our coffee-break escape offers you five minutes' worth of images to inspire and delight. Jump right in...
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Life's a Beach House for This Family of Six
Adding extra space and luxuries meant this growing family could continue living in their much-loved beach house
Full Story
Expert Eye
An Interior Designer's Step-by-Step Sophisticated Home Makeover
This Sydney home is a masterclass in texture and pattern. Here, the interior designer reveals how she pieced it together
Full Story
Kitchens
Room of the Week: From Dated Holiday Kitchen to Streamlined Space
See the transformation of an old-fashioned holiday home's kitchen into a modern functional space with bespoke joinery
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Prized Seaside Manor Reimagined for Modern Living
By Joanna Tovia
A grand Edwardian mansion on Sydney's Northern Beaches gets the sophisticated makeover it deserves
Full Story
Stickybeak Of The Week
Stickybeak of the Week: A Coastal Home and a Sun-Bleached Palette
The refined combo of faded fabrics and natural textures helps to slow down the pace in this relaxing family retreat
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Beach Home Throws a Curve Ball at Typical Coast Style
Meet the beach house that combines city and coast, straight lines and curves, and formal informality under one roof
Full Story
Decorating
Coastal Chic: 7 Key Ingredients for a Hamptons-Style Home
Love Hamptons styling? Design experts reveal the essential elements you need to create the look in your home
Full Story
Stickybeak Of The Week
Stickybeak of the Week: A Single-Storey Bungalow Raises the Roof
The clean lines and pared-back interior of this beach-style home ensure all eyes are on the dramatic design features
Full Story
I would be content with any one of them! Divine locations and beautiful designs. So good to see plywood used in Plytime house.
With the possible exception of the Studio 19 Bach, these are holiday homes, not baches. Baches are informal dwellings. They are not built by professional builders, unless it's the professional builder's own bach. Baches are not designed by architects, unless it's the architect's own bach and s/he also built it themselves. Baches must be made from cheap, basic, recycled and/or leftover materials, by the owner and their family and friends. Services of plumbers or electricians may be allowed if it's absolutely necessary to prevent the council from ordering it to be torn down, but should ideally be paid for in kind (fish, shellfish, fruits of hunting or the garden, or beer), or maybe at "mates rates" under the table, not in cash.
If you've paid a professional builder to build your holiday home, it's not a bach.
These are very expensive luxury holiday homes. All worth more than most people's homes. To call them 'batches' and describe them as 'simple designs' is a bit far fetched. Photos of the container one have been around for years.