Coastal locations call for special consideration of material and performance. In this case, on a farm on a clifftop in Northland, the site is exposed and the elements are harsh.
It’s a place of dramatic proportions and views, with a site that faces north across a valley; to the east the ocean stretches out towards the Hen and Chicken Islands, to the west is an idyllic rural vista encompassing the wider Bream Tail Farm of which this site belongs.
The holiday home that was designed for this enviable location by architect John Irving was aptly named The Dart. From above, its triangular form makes up a perfect north arrow; a distinct marker on the land with its tip pointing wholly north.
At ground level though, the building reads more simply: a long gabled form, reminiscent in part of a typical farm shed.
Clad entirely in vertical western red cedar shiplap oiled with Dryden WoodOil Platinum, it takes on a driftwood-like aesthetic, with the appearance that it has long stood on this land.
“Using a coloured WoodOil, in this case Platinum, allows you to achieve that beautiful grey tone without ageing the timber naturally, a process which is ultimately detrimental to the timber over time,” Dryden’s Rozanne Valcarcel explains.
Dryden WoodOil is a water-repellent, non-filming timber protector. “It is a migrating oil so once it is applied it filters right through the timber, protecting it from the inside out,” says Rozanne.
“You can use it in one of two ways: the first is as a clear product, which allows the timber to silver off while still being protected, the second is to add a colour, which gives an added level of protection because it is the colour that enhances the UV protection in the product.”
In the case of this house, the architect chose to wind the exterior timber through the interior creating a striking feature in the kitchen with the vertical cedar. Here, a different product was used: Dryden WoodMaster, which is a clear product designed specifically for interior applications. Its decorative matt finish enhances the grain while Dryden ColourTones can be added to match the full Dryden WoodOil colour range, which allows seamless indoor/outdoor colour flow when using the same species.
In this case, an intentional definition was created between indoors and out, with the clear product used throughout the interiors to create a beautiful warmth while retaining the variance of the timber and the allure of the natural aesthetic and texture of timber.
Dryden WoodOil is made in New Zealand and specially designed for New Zealand conditions.
For more information about Dryden ColourTones, WoodOil, and WoodMaster, visit the Dryden Gallery.
