The 2021 Rural Home of the Year explores retreat and openness, gracefully unfolding between retired paddock and coastline.

A mature and restrained response to an awe-inspiring location. The architect has combined a wide range of influences — from Sri Lankan to her own, impressive international career — to achieve a quintessentially local response to site, context, and history.

A challenging tight suburban site competently handled via good planning, excellent control of views and nice separation of guest quarters from the main house by bridge.

Although modest in size and budget, this Auckland multi-generational home puts the client at its heart while at the same time future-proofing the asset for any potential uses that might eventuate.

It takes a certain level of daredevilry and nous to convince a client to build a two-bedroomed home for a family of five.