Rich warm tones of cedar on this Papamoa Beach house in Tauranga have been carefully crafted by Beachside Builders, to blend in seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.
Designed by Herbst Architects originally as a holiday home for the clients, so impressive was the build they now use their two-storied four-bedroom property permanently.
The majority of the living spaces are located on the larger, lower level while the master bedroom and ensuite occupy the smaller second storey.
Arriving at the house from the street front, you are taken on a journey in which the architectural intentions of the building are obvious.
The front door leads directly into the living area, and the four bedrooms are linked via a semi-external raised walkway.
Immediately the overwhelming warmth and detail of timber becomes the focus, as well as the high end detailing and craftmanship.
Everything in this house is hand made and finished, and because of its location within the sand dunes and its proximity to the water, a key part of the early works was the piling.
The house sits on exactly 182 piles and working in the sand had its challenges – the builders had to come up with a solution to ensure their stability.
Beachside Builders also had to construct the home in such a way that it could be moved in the event of erosion, and/or to protect the sand dunes.
As a company specialising in beach builds, the team is experienced in dealing with harsh coastal environments, and has systems in place to deal with challenges such as these.
Five anchor points support the house in the sand, giving the home structural integrity, which meant the building team had to dig much wider and deeper than normal.
The use of rich warm timbers both inside and out of this impressive home includes natural kwila floors, and a unique corridor spans the length of the lower level, where perspex and cedar battens effectively form a natural wall.
In the open plan living and dining area, exposed black structural steel beams punctuate the timber, while a custom steel fireplace surround and cabinetry offers a unique texture in the otherwise natural palette of the interiors.
A central outdoor courtyard links all the bedrooms on the lower level with the main living area and the beach it opens out to, while a second concealed outdoor area in the form of a ‘jungle garden’ houses a spa pool and outdoor shower.
There is a real moodiness to this beach house brought about by the dark tones, and the overall image of the home is simplistic yet it has been created by intricate detail at every turn.
Dropped-down horizontal timber screens provide privacy to the bedrooms.
The beach-facing side of the 287sqm home is simple with a small second-floor pop-up to afford the main bedroom a sea view. Sliding battened shutters soften the facade, providing movement and a veil of privacy.
Based in Mount Maunganui, Beachside Builders focuses on both residential and industrial architectural projects.
The company brings more than 20 years of knowledge and experience in creating functional and lasting builds that stand up to the ever changing elements we face on our beautiful coastline.
From concrete basements and unispan,
to driven piles and timber homes, Beachside strives to push the boundaries
of modern building by surrounding ourselves with fresh, driven and innovative staff and subcontractors.
TESTIMONIAL
“We worked with Beachside Builders over a two year period while they constructed our new home. The build was complex and challenging. Beachside were always solution orientated throughout the project with an exceptional result of a beautifully crafted house.” – Michelle & Murray Pratt.