Houzz Tour: A Bach on Waiheke Island With an Unusual Twist
This teeny beach house is cleverly divided into three pods that encourage indoor-outdoor living and help its residents live it large
Simplicity is at the soul of this holiday home on Waiheke Island – and that’s exactly what the owners requested. When they commissioned architect Julian Guthrie of Godward Guthrie Architecture to create their escape, they insisted that it be the complete antithesis of their city house. “It’s a true bach with a really relaxed feel, the opposite of their other home, which is very white and full of art,” says Guthrie. The site, at Sandy Bay, is only 100 metres to the beach and offers the best of Mother Nature’s palette: lush native bush and a sparkling view of the sea.
The home is designed in three separate elements – the living pod; a utility zone with a laundry and bathroom; and a bedroom block – that are positioned under one common roof. “The mono-pitch roof is contrary to the slope of the hill, which allows the house to tuck into the section,” explains Guthrie. It also means the bedroom and utility areas can be double storey, offering a little more floorspace – but not much! The entire footprint of the house is less than 100 square metres. However, by using extensive easy-access decking, a generous front lawn and capturing the views through clever window placement, the illusion is of living very large indeed. Breezeways connect the three pods, which means the occupants need to move through the Great Outdoors to access other areas – a clever ploy that allows a better, full-colour connection to the experience of being at the beach. “The design is not fashion oriented so I think it will endure. I can see the family enjoying and using it in 20 years’ time,” says Guthrie.
The home is designed in three separate elements – the living pod; a utility zone with a laundry and bathroom; and a bedroom block – that are positioned under one common roof. “The mono-pitch roof is contrary to the slope of the hill, which allows the house to tuck into the section,” explains Guthrie. It also means the bedroom and utility areas can be double storey, offering a little more floorspace – but not much! The entire footprint of the house is less than 100 square metres. However, by using extensive easy-access decking, a generous front lawn and capturing the views through clever window placement, the illusion is of living very large indeed. Breezeways connect the three pods, which means the occupants need to move through the Great Outdoors to access other areas – a clever ploy that allows a better, full-colour connection to the experience of being at the beach. “The design is not fashion oriented so I think it will endure. I can see the family enjoying and using it in 20 years’ time,” says Guthrie.
The cladding is cedar board laid vertically on the living and bedroom blocks but horizontally on the utility pod. In time, it will weather to a soft grey tone so the house melds with the native bush that is its backdrop. The cedar was oiled with a clear-finish product as was the Gaboon ply interior, because one of the clients is sensitive to toxins.
The three elements (living, utility and bedroom pods) are housed under the same mono-pitch roof so, at first glance, they appear as one, but there are sliding doors and breezeways that link them. The doors slide externally over the cladding. “They take up less room than a conventional door,” explains Guthrie. “Also, they can all easily be left open, especially in summer.”
Gabion baskets were used as retaining walls to edge the lawn, which allowed a flat surface instead of an outdoor area that simply followed the slope of the land.
Gabion baskets were used as retaining walls to edge the lawn, which allowed a flat surface instead of an outdoor area that simply followed the slope of the land.
In the kitchen, a stainless island bench steps down and continues seamlessly to transform into a timber-topped dining table – which means there was no need for the owners to buy a table to furnish the home.
A classic George Nelson clock with bauble ends to its spokes (which can be seen hanging on the wall between the shelving of the living zone) provided the inspiration for the colours in the home. “One of the owners is a fashion importer, and she loves colour,” explains Guthrie. The tones of blue, orange and green are retro chic and perfect for the bach with its relaxed mood. With Gaboon ply ceilings and walls, the home feels cocoon-like. A wood-burner keeps the spaces cosy in winter but the north-facing living area is a lovely suntrap in summer.
Custom-made dining table: Johannes Erren Cabinetmakers; Panton chairs by Verner Panton for Vitra
A classic George Nelson clock with bauble ends to its spokes (which can be seen hanging on the wall between the shelving of the living zone) provided the inspiration for the colours in the home. “One of the owners is a fashion importer, and she loves colour,” explains Guthrie. The tones of blue, orange and green are retro chic and perfect for the bach with its relaxed mood. With Gaboon ply ceilings and walls, the home feels cocoon-like. A wood-burner keeps the spaces cosy in winter but the north-facing living area is a lovely suntrap in summer.
Custom-made dining table: Johannes Erren Cabinetmakers; Panton chairs by Verner Panton for Vitra
The easy-wipe stainless island bench steps down into a timber table top, a space-saving design device. The owners invested in some Verner Panton-style chairs in keeping with the retro look. A black steel frame to the island, and black steel legs on the Gaboon ply table draw the two elements together. The living zone is just 4.5m while the bedrooms are 5.4m in width. An enticing glimpse of the ocean can be seen when working at the kitchen bench.
A mature puriri (Vitex lucens) tree throws a pattern of shade onto the lawn, which is accessed from the living zone via a set of generously proportioned stairs. “The stairs double as seating,” says Guthrie. “And the owners often sit here with their morning coffee.”
The solid balustrades are Hardie sheet on a timber frame that have been painted in the colour palette of the interiors for a touch of fun.
Vertical cedar battens screen off and define the stairwell that links the utility zone and living area.
The middle pod contains a laundry downstairs and bathroom upstairs.
The middle pod contains a laundry downstairs and bathroom upstairs.
Floating tread stairs are in keeping with the linear nature of the design where slots and cut-outs bring a lightness of being to the bach. The architect has played with vertical and horizontal lines, and with solidity and transparency, to create architectural interest within a pared-back material palette of timber, steel and glass.
The bathroom is lined in Seratone panels that were easy to install and offer easy maintenance in the holiday home. This is a true wet room. “We kept the loo and vanity off the floor and the owners bought a clawfoot bath online,” says Guthrie. With kwila decking as a floor, the room can be sprayed down and easily cleaned.
Seratone panels: Laminex
Seratone panels: Laminex
Upstairs in the bedroom block, the windows sills in the master bedroom were kept low so the owners could lie in bed and still see the view. However, this meant complying with extra regulations and the windows could not be opened more than 100mm. “So we installed a set of casements that act as fan windows,” says Guthrie. A louvre on one corner of the building brings in much needed airflow.
Downstairs, the bunk room contains four cleverly designed king-single size beds. The top two are accessed via a ladder. They are all made of Gaboon ply and the central divider contains storage shelving for books or a cup of tea. Cutting a slot within the railing helped to ‘lighten’ the design and lent a practical element of it being easier to make the bed. “I think of the house a little like a boat. It’s compact, which means storage and cabinetry need to be integrated,” says Guthrie.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Sandy Bay, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Who lives here: A professional couple, their young son and two Jack Russell terriers
Size: 100sqm over 3 separate ‘pods’: kitchen, dining, sitting room; laundry and bathroom; main bedroom with ensuite, bunk room and study.
The house is tucked into a slope of mature native bush. Instead of building a driveway on the most logical, straightforward path, the approach loops around to preserve the trees and shrubs on the section – a journey that has the upside of lending a greater sense of arrival.
In typical Waiheke Island style, the owners park on the gravel drive (with no garage or carport). Cantilevered steel tubes form a minimalist balustrade on the front deck. “We didn’t want to use glass as it would have meant a lot of cleaning. The steel tubes are slick and strong enough not to need any horizontal ties,” says Guthrie.