The Korora House project is an amazing home situated on one of Auckland’s beautiful gulf islands; Waiheke Island, and has been designed and crafted by the Auckland architect firm Daniel Marshall Architects A ridge stretching between Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf and the pastoral landscape of Waiheke Island provided a stunning, and challenging context in which to design a getaway house which will ultimately become a permanent home to the clients who expect to return to live in New Zealand after a long period in Asia.
The approach was to work within the contour of the ridge in an attempt to minimise the impact on the landscape. The sensitivity of design preserves and enhances the essence of the surrounding landscape as the interconnected series of rooms and courtyards laid across the ridge line, simultaneously open out towards the ridge line on one side and anchored to the earth on the other.
A landscape wall clad in local coloured stone splays out from the primary plan form providing a point of entry to the house, and allowed for an excavated garage below the ground line.
Ascending the stairs, one arrives at the house via a southern courtyard, welcomed by the dramatic revelation of an ever expansive view through the center of the house, across the Hauraki Gulf and it’s idylic islands, towards the horizon.
The enveloped living spaces of the house are arranged either side of this courtyard and its accompanying northern courtyard, which are bridged by a gabled roof stretching across the long axis. The courtyards offer retreat from the dominant wind and sun whilst allowing a subtle breeze to refresh the interiors.
The materiality of the house draws on two architectural conditions of Waiheke. The masonry forms were inspired by the gun emplacements of Stoney Batter (remnants from WW2). The use of cedar and plywood reflect precarious weekender holiday baches from the island’s past.
About the Architects
Daniel Marshall Architects (DMA) is an Auckland (New Zealand) based practice passionate about designing high quality and award winning New Zealand styled architecture. Their work has been published in periodicals and books internationally as well as in numerous digital publications.
Daniel leads a core team of accomplished designers who skilfully collaborate to resolve architectural projects from conception through to occupation. DMA believe architecture is a ‘generalist’ profession which engages with all components of an architectural project throughout conceptual design, documentation and construction phases.
They pride themselves on being able to holistically engage with complex architectural issues to arrive at a design solution equally appropriate to its context (site and surrounds) and the unique ways their clients prefer to live.
Whether or not an urban, coastal or countryside setting, the topography of a site, and its characteristics and subtleties of its surroundings form key drivers in the resolution of architectural space and form. New Zealander’s value a strong connection with their environment and the DMA projects strongly reflect this ideal. Environmental sustainability and intelligent use of local resources is becoming an increasingly important consideration that they encourage their clients to embrace.
Every client has specific requirements and preferences, but DMA believe that there is a certain commonality in the way New Zealanders tend to live. This is reflected in the arrangement of open, private, indoor and outdoor spaces. The fundamental nature of domestic architecture is to provide shelter and refuge, however, the approach they take to this is unique to each client. DMA works very closely with their clients to discuss their aspirations, work though a design and surpass their expectations.
Architecture is three dimensional. DMA responds to context and living through the organisation of space, sculpting of form and the materiality of that form. They engage in a rigorously three dimensional design process utilising all the traditional and technological tools at their disposal to achieve an outstanding result each and every time.
Project:
Korora, Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand, 2010
Architects:
Daniel Marshall, Mike Hartley, Karamia Muller of Daniel Marshall Architects, marshall-architect.co.nz
Photography by:
Ernie Shackles, Patrick Reynolds
Construcion Materials:
Waiheke stone, cedar, plaster on brick cavity, aluminum joinery
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