Coromandel House by Julian Guthrie Architecture

Coromandel House

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The Coromandel House is a new holiday home, located adjacent to Pauanui Beach and below the Pauanui Mountain. The brief was to replace a tired bach, which the family had enjoyed for many years, with a newly built house able to accommodate the family with several adult children and their friends. The design places the primary living areas and primary bedroom on the upper level, to gain views to the sea over the roof of neighbouring homes. The lower floor houses several guest bedrooms and a second living area, with all spaces connecting directing onto generous exterior deck spaces. In keeping with the spirit of a bach, there is no garage, and the entry to the house is across a grassed yard onto a decked porch space. The upper level decks connect directly down via an exterior stair, leading to the garden and beach path beyond, enabling informal connections between all areas of the home. The building combines low maintenance materials of oiled cedar cladding with bagged concrete blockwork, both to the exterior and interior of the house. Slatted sliding timber shutters are used over bedroom windows to enable varying degrees of wind, light and privacy to each room. While the roof form is flat, wide eaves splay out in a variety of angles, capturing the dramatic shapes of the adjacent hillside and giving a sense of playfulness to the house.

The Coromandel House is a new holiday home, located adjacent to Pauanui Beach and below the Pauanui Mountain. Read more

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beach house new build coromandel coastal

Project team

Contemporary holiday home designed for family gatherings, featuring stunning sea views, spacious decks, and a playful roof form, completed in 2023 near Pauanui Beach.

The design places the primary living areas and primary bedroom on the upper level, to gain views to the sea over the roof of neighbouring homes. The lower floor houses several guest bedrooms and a second living area, with all spaces connecting directing onto generous exterior deck spaces. In keeping with the spirit of a bach, there is no garage, and the entry to the house is across a grassed yard onto a decked porch space. The upper level decks connect directly down via an exterior stair, leading to the garden and beach path beyond, enabling informal connections between all areas of the home.

The building combines low maintenance materials of oiled cedar cladding with bagged concrete blockwork, both to the exterior and interior of the house. Slatted sliding timber shutters are used over bedroom windows to enable varying degrees of wind, light and privacy to each room.

While the roof form is flat, wide eaves splay out in a variety of angles, capturing the dramatic shapes of the adjacent hillside and giving a sense of playfulness to the house.

Completed: 2023
Building style: Contemporary

3.1K6h 34m

Awards

2025

Waikato & Bay of Plenty Architecture Award Winner

NZIA

2025

AwardWaikato & Bay of Plenty Architecture Award Winner

OrganisationNZIA

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Professional Reviews

1 / 5

“We have been clients of Julian Guthrie for approximately 20 years, within which period of time he has designed both renovations and new homes for us. The briefs have all been very different (including a new home, new beach house, and major renovation). Without exception, the results have all exceeded our expectations. Throughout the foregoing projects, Julian has also played an integral role in the management of planning requirements, and in the case of our home in Herne Bay, that process involved the complexity of obtaining consents to incorporate a character villa with additions that complemented the original home. His advice through that process, in addition to the design undertaken by him, was invaluable. In terms of that design work, we have no reservation in recommending Julian. He is an excellent communicator, and very skilled at translating a brief from a husband and wife (who do no always agree) into an outcome with which we have both been very happy. Our homes are personal to us, but undoubtedly a testament to Julian’s skills. Julian was also retained by my law firm to re-design and refit our offices. The offices are located in a challenging heritage building in the central business district. He had to take on board a number of individuals’ and personalities’ requirements in the brief. The end product, achieved in a very short duration, on budget, is outstanding. His relationship with the contractors on site was very good, all issues being resolved between them, with little input from us as clients in that process. That was of enormous value to us as busy professionals. We therefore have no hesitation in recommending Julian Guthrie and his team.”

Stephen Langton