Against the backdrop of the Arrow River this contemporary hotel emerges from the schist slopes to accompany the existing historic stone cottage and stone walls that border the verdant site. Concrete walls that were formed against a mould of timber shingles provide a play on the existing materials in the area and sets the contemporary tone of the new accommodation units. Slick aluminum frames support large windows that afford a scenic expanse to each room of the surrounding beech covered hills. The units are sited to afford privacy and a unique experience of the stunning site.

The suites feature clever and efficient use of space, with the various functions borrowing both light and space from each other. A glass screen can shield or reveal the bath from the bed and living space, while a cupboard by the front door can be externally accessed by the host to provide provisions with the utmost privacy and delight.

The 5 completed suites are a part of a larger scheme for the site, centered about the existing stone cottage as a showcase of and springboard to the wider region.

AWARDS

The Arrow Private Hotel won the only award for Commercial Architecture in the New Zealand Institute of Architects Southern Awards in 2012. The judges provided the following citation for the project:

“These delicately detailed ‘boxes’ materialise as jewels nestled into the tree-lined hillside. Positioned so as not to be obtrusive, the boxes provide private yet open spaces which are both generous and appropriately scaled to context. While the building diverges from vernacular norms, its form relates well to local building traditions. The choice of materials and textures sympathetic to the changing seasons and local light further enhances the quality of the design.”

The jury was convened by Dunedin architect Niko Young, and comprised fellow Dunedin architect Regan Hall, Auckland architect Nicola Herbst, and University of Otago design for technology department fellow Michale Findlay.