Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
A remote retreat, located on a spectacular escarpment amongst working farmland, brought together two housing typologies: The housing of our client, who sought a peaceful retreat when home from work, and secondly the housing of our client’s spectacular art collection.
Stretched over the landscape into a simple rectangular form, the home sits lightly on the land, referencing the raw, natural surrounding landscape, simple, resilient farming structures, weathered timber and wild pastures.
Clean white walls line the interior, with gallery like detailing, elemental spatial dividers and no trims. A clear circulation spine connects the plan, wide enough to accommodate and observe the ever growing collection.
The home accommodates low-energy, self-contained systems such as roof water collection, fresh air heat recovery, passive stack ventilation and no-maintenance timber cladding.
From the project’s conception and in response to the site's locational challenges, off-site construction, both modular and panelised, were integral to the design and construction delivery logic. Collaborating with Makers Fabrication throughout the process, ensured the home could be assembled efficiently, achieving rapid weathertightness, reduced waste and precision.
Area: 162m² | Type: Residential, New Build
Year: 2025 | Construction: Makers Fabrication

Photography by Simon Devitt and Makers