Prefab Beach House

The site is situated in the beachside township of Whangapoua on the Coromandel peninsula. The brief was to reconfigure two titles and relocate the existing home on the property, in order to creating a new site for a compact family beach home. A certain elevation was required for the new home to maintain views to the ocean. The floating form was conceived as a series of three repeating forms of naturally weathering materials which were constructed by the assembly of prefabricated panels over a block boatshed and steel subfloor framing. The three small forms enable the home to blend with the neighbours when viewed from the local beach store, while the street elevation presents the must have oversized boatshed. This base is softened by being set back into the land, with a meandering entry path to the house nestling up to the retained mature Eucalyptus tree. A rich and warmly finished plywood interior, as the escape from the city, contrasts the more utilitarian exterior of exposed structure and utilities. The prefabrication construction process was employed to have greater certainty around budget, quality and to eliminate repeated long distance travel to monitor progress. Construction commenced in August and the clients were in for Christmas. A master bedroom wing is separated from the guest rooms by a central living zone. Northern and western decks to allow the outdoors to be enjoyed regardless of the prevailing wind.