Reef House

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About

Awards
Reef House - Housing Winner - 2020
Reef House | Strachan Group Architects (SGA) | ArchiPro video
Reef House | Strachan Group Architects (SGA) | ArchiPro
Located on an elevated section overlooking Daniels Reef north of Auckland, this new house enjoys enjoys extensive sea views across to Little Barrier Island.
As seen from the rear of the property, the split cruciform nature of the design becomes apparent.
The floorplates are offset and arranged to direct views out to the sea from every room.
Architect Dave Strachan wanted to play with the typical notion of indoors and outdoors, turning the lounge into more of a covered terrace, thanks to the full-width sliders that slide back on the outside of the building.
Running roughly north-south, the open-plan living area is bathed in natural light and enjoys ample cross ventilation thanks to the split cruciform design of the building.
An internal courtyard provides cooled air flow, one of the passive environmental initiatives inherent in the home.
Internal doors access the courtyard, which features an open, slatted screen to allow for uninterrupted air flow.
A sliding door between the garden courtyard and guest suite allows for natural ventilation, minimising the use of mechanical cooling.
On the opposite side of the courtyard is a powder room, a quirky treatment of a standard feature.
The main bedroom enjoys enviable views over Omaha Bay.
The kitchen projects through the building envelope and out onto layered and screened outdoor living spaces—helping blur the lines between indoor spaces and outdoor spaces.
A kitchenette services the downstairs lounge and dining patio.  Two further bedrooms are also located on the lower level.
The ensuite bathroom continues the pared back materiality of the interior design.
From the front door, the eye is immediately drawn to the stunning views, presented through a variety of 'vignettes'.
At dusk, the structure of the house seems to recede into the hillside, providing glimpses of the spaces inside.
From the front, the design intention of blurring the lines between indoors and out to offer layers of experience is fully exposed.

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.

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