The Stillwater Home home is designed to be an integral part of the landscape, as if it has always been there. The use of honest and enduring materials and a long, low profile that follows the slope of the site helps to nestle the home into its natural surroundings.

Two distinct identities are presented through the detailing of the home: one; the rustic and protective farmhouse, sympathetic to its rural setting, and two; the light, open, contemporary solar house, sympathetic to its tech-savvy inhabitants.

Low and ranch-like from the road, the house leans back into the hillside; its solid-walled aspect providing protection from the cooler south. Horizontal picture windows take in the panoramic views but maintain privacy from the neighbouring properties. The northern aspect, however, tells a completely different story! Here the structure reaches skyward: lofty ceilings and full-height glazing invite the landscape in, making the most of the views and the sun’s warmth and light.

In the balmy north-Auckland climate, living outdoors is the main objective of this house design. The canopy roof sheltering the living wing soars well past the building limit to create a covered outdoor room, complete with its own fireplace. Mirroring the action of the building volumes, a terraced patio steps down the contours of the site and gradually dissolves back into the landscape again.