Coastal high

This sculptural holiday home in Leigh is an artful arrangement of three buildings, an enclave of sorts, designed to accommodate various personalities and requirements.

INHABITING THE SPACE between two distinct scenes: Matheson Bay, punctuated by Little Barrier Island, and a quintessential green outlook towards the Matakana hill, these buildings offer a refined, contemporary language in their rural setting.

“We conceived of the project as a set of separate buildings tied together by their material language and pared-back approach to form,” architect Belinda George explains.

“An offset ridge beam forms a spine, tracking along the contour of the land, rising to create large volumes, which open towards expansive sea views, and closing down to house smaller more intimate spaces sheltered against the inland portion of the site.”

The exterior is an exercise in simplicity, not without a certain sense of grandeur suited to the panoramic nature of the site. A rainscreen of vertical cedar allows everything to be concealed, allowing just the sculptural geometry — the essence of the form — to remain at the fore; a sharp juxtaposition to the organic folds of the bucolic landscape and coast beyond.

Finished with Dryden WoodOil Platinum, the trio of structures responds effortlessly to the tones of the dual land- and seascapes. A light, sandy grey tone, Platinum is one of the lightest hues in the WoodOil range. Here, it beautifully accentuates the crisp geometries of the exterior form while wrapping inside to line the covered ‘outdoor’ room — a space where land and sea converge in a sheltered zone of dramatic beauty.

Dryden WoodOil is made in New Zealand specifically for local conditions, and is especially suited to coastal areas such as this, where salt spray and harsh climatic extremes mean additional protection from the elements is always on the agenda when it comes to designing for longevity.

Maintaining the timber’s visual appeal while protecting its core strength, Dryden WoodOil is a non-filming, migrating oil, helping to prevent the absorption of water into the timber and extend its lifespan.

Order your free liquid or timber sample at dryden.co.nz

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