Whitimanuka Retreat

Whitimanuka retreat is a luxury accommodation offering nestled in the hills overlooking the Wairarapa valley. The retreat offers a fully equipped kitchen and living space with a fire, a large bedroom with a windowseat and an ensuite with a bath. An outdoor deck allows visitors to relax and enjoy the sweeping panoramic views. The architectural language used in the design is a reflection of the local built environment – common materials and forms used for farm outbuildings have been re-used in a modern original way. The siting and orientation of the retreat is responsive to the landscape and the local climatic conditions and uses passive solar principles as the basis of the design. The retreat is fully accessible and is completely off-grid using solar power and harvested rain water. Photography by Sharisse Eberlein