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A holiday retreat set at the foot of a steep, south facing, manuka clad sand bank; a long, narrow jetty structure is inserted into the bush with minimal impact on the slope. The building is a platform from which the owners can indulge their passion for the bush environment. Large sliding doors, bridges & decks reach out like fingers into the bush reinforcing the connection between the landscape and the living environments.

The roof is pitched up, gesturing upwards to the slope, the trees and the northern sun. A central glass roofed breezeway extends the living spaces as a protected indoor/ outdoor deck. The highly glazed northern façade is naturally sun-protected by the Manuka covered knoll.

In contrast the southern façade is closed down with its back to the weather. The cladding wraps around the shoulders like a Driz-a-bone coat with the sliding shutters in the breezeway acting as the ventilation flap. The naturally weathered vertical cedar boarding on the protective southern wall reflects the verticality of the surrounding Manuka tree trunks.

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About the
Professional

Strachan Group Architects is a multiple award-winning Auckland practice. Grounded in a specific and detailed first-hand knowledge of construction the team brings a highly developed sense of craft to the task of creating sustainable buildings with precision and elegance.

The keen sense of attention that the practice brings to the interpretation of a client’s brief is equalled by a rich and complex understanding of how to respond to the subtleties of site, the impacts of the natural environment, and the many contexts within which a building must operate. To these qualities SGA adds a precise understanding of the requirements of construction, with an advanced level of experience of prefabrication and the use of digitally controlled machinery in the fabrication of building elements under tightly controlled conditions.

SGA takes pride in it's ability to communicate ideas about building as they develop in conversation with clients, consultants and contractors. This skill has been honed in the extensive involvement the practice has had in education, where it has delivered a number of design/build projects with architecture students that have been recognised by the New Zealand Institute of Architects by a series of Awards.

Recognised by their peers as an innovative and exciting practice, SGA consists of a group of highly skilled people with a diverse range of complimentary skills. This flexible team is highly attuned to new developments in the building industry, appreciated by their many clients and capable of undertaking work at any scale.