For many New Zealanders a dream of holiday involves sitting at the beach, under a pohutukawa tree on a hot day. Simple pleasures, simple needs. This Cove Construction house provides two of those elements. Located above one of Aotearoa’s most beautiful beaches, this Hahei house not only provides magnificent coastal views and the shade of an ancient pohutukawa tree, but also mirrors those elements in the design. The only thing Cove Construction can’t control is the assurance of a hot day. As always in New Zealand, that is at the whim of our temperate weather gods.
The holiday home looks simple at first glance, four floating pavilions sit lightly on the whenua. This has been achieved by Cove Construction overcoming the steep topography with support structures that mimic the rugged beauty of the surrounding pohutukawa trunks, ancient and majestic in form. The house positions itself down the slope in a cascade of stacking blocks, slightly askew and using meticulous structural engineering to ensure the finish compliments the natural surroundings. The exterior is wrapped in blackened cedar batons, laid with precision and adding another geometric dimension to the structure.
The artisan craftsmanship continues inside the home. A raw, rugged concrete wall houses an immense fireplace and stacked firewood become a piece of art, even competing with the green canopy visible from the adjacent window. An internal staircase has walls of glass, letting nature step inside. An outdoor shower is a cavern of privacy and surrounds the occupant in luxurious wooden panelling.
The magic of this house is that it retains a substantial floor plan without looking heavy on the land or overwhelming the site. It contains four bedrooms, four bathrooms and three living areas, yet somehow manages to look majestic, mirroring the overwhelmingly beauty of it’s immediate surroundings. The playfulness of a roof top deck is a good example of how this house reacts to the location and makes the most of it in a subtle, elegant manner.
Cove Construction have built a home that celebrates the iconic kiwi holiday and all the simple pleasures that fulfil those holiday dreams.