There were many steps involved in building this luxury holiday bach overlooking the Brynderwyn Hills in Mangawhai Heads.
And we’re not just talking about the steps involved in the craftmanship for award winning NF Construction, but the actual 60-metre length of the house (and 6-metres wide). Company owner Nic Foster said that was the reason behind the name given by the architect Jose Gutierrez – the 60 x 6 house.
The design for the home focuses on capturing the sun’s warmth and light, while optimising the sweeping vistas of the rural landscape. A singular linear roof form stretches along the east-west axis, and all of the main living areas and bedrooms are accessed along the spine of the home. Sheltered external spaces facilitate flow between the different sections of the building, yet also act as additional living areas throughout the seasons. These enclosed outdoor areas offer the perfect place to relax and unwind, and the house also has an impressive 13m-wide feature slider off the main kitchen and dining room.
Sitting right along the contour lines of the landscape, the home was built for a couple and their young daughters as a retreat, featuring a Matt Coloursteel Eurostyle Spanlok roofing system and Black vertical quarter-sawn Western Red cedar cladding.
The black-stained cladding wraps around the exterior – the detailing of the entrance screen providing additional texture and privacy. Big high open ceilings, custom made cabinetry and oak flooring are all features, along with cedar soffits in the outdoor areas to match the cladding. Looking out over rolling hills, there is also a luxurious outdoor pool to relax in of generous size – and opulent bathrooms have been designed with relaxation in mind. Such a well presented executive holiday home, this is one many would only dream of. What Nic enjoyed most about the build was seeing all the hard work come together, “I always enjoy the last month when it all comes together.” “Also at the start of the project when we stand the frames and it goes from a flat concrete slab to three-dimensional.” The 360 sqm holiday home will be entered in the 2024 Registered Master Builders House of the Year awards, after an impressive Regional Category win in 2022. Nic’s own home the ‘Barn House’ won the Builders Own Home category for Auckland/Northland/Coromandel last year and also made the Top 100.
The 400sqm five-bedroom home situated between the bush line and Mangawhai Heads was cutting-edge. Clad in dark weatherboards and trimmed with vertical cedar covering the entertaining area, the hardwood decking, which flanks the majority of the house, and cedar contrast the almost all-black structure. It’s a true sanctuary and the perfect family home, showcasing craftmanship of the highest quality.This year’s entry ‘The Gatehouse’ won a Regional Gold in the $1 million to $1.5 million category. The contemporary monopitch home is in the best location, with bush, lake, beach and rolling green hills right on the doorstep. The 220sqm house features large windows, sliders, lots of decking and a portico for outdoor dining. Aluminium weatherboards, cedar walls and long-run coloured steel roofing in natural tones make this property look right at home in the natural surrounding landscape. Nic’s first entry into the awards was back in 2019 – ‘The Sanctuary’ where he won a Regional Gold for his own home at Mangawhai Heads.
NF Construction is based in Mangawhai and also caters for clients in the Langs Beach, Waipu Cove and Te Arai areas, targeting a niche market in high end architectural builds.