The Bunker House

Mastery in Piha.

When art and engineering collide, the result can be a building that both delights and unsettles all who encounter it. In this case, the structure stands at a remarkable location, its design responding and reflecting the unique characteristics of the site.

The project brief called for an iconic residence where physics and sculpture could merge in unexpected ways. This ambition is manifested in the design, where a narrow 300mm wide point becomes the central pivot for a structure that seems to defy gravity itself, creating a sense of weightlessness amid its surroundings.

The building draws inspiration from Piha's fierce natural landscape and the coastal fortifications that once dotted Auckland's coastline during World War II, lending the house its name. The bunker slot also serves a crucial purpose: it shields the house from brutal natural elements as well as the bustling summer car park below, offering a sense of protection and privacy while external distractions remain unseen. Inside, the slot frames the raw beauty of crashing surf, sand dunes, and sky.

The materials used in the construction are deliberately dark and moody, evoking the history and the mystique that have long surrounded Piha. The atmosphere of the house is as much about the materials' tactile qualities as it is about the story the site tells—an interplay of place, nature, and the engineering marvel that stands upon it.

- Chris Tate