St Georges By The Sea – Summer House

Remotely located on the door step of the dramatic Taranaki coastline the guest home stands resolute against the natural elements whilst providing a luxurious retreat for its guests.

The guest home is the little brother to the original neighbouring house which was built 8 years ago. A commonality exists between the two through materiality however the Guest Wing is contrastingly expressed in an entirely contemporary manner.

The house was constructed over two stages. Stage one comprised of garaging, bedroom & living spaces, and site amenities: clay tennis court and pavilion. The second stage included three bedrooms with en-suites, a service room, and a formal entry.

The layout of the building forces the occupants to interact with the environment, as common spaces from the bedrooms can only be accessed by walking outside. The formal entry is an exterior device guiding people through to an outdoor area with gardens.

On a coastal site which can be incredibly harsh, the design needed to respond entirely to the local environment. Careful consideration was given to prevailing winds, solar gain & views.

The footprint of the house is in the shape of a ‘U’ which provides an external space with protection from prevailing winds. High level awning windows provide natural ventilation whilst the high level solid aluminium coupled with the wide verandahs reduce internal heat build-up.

Longevity of materials was critical due to the salt exposure zone. Copper, aluminium, concrete and local Taranaki river stone were employed externally. Internally the concrete floors were left uncovered to act as a thermal mass.

Photovoltaic Panels are located on the stage 1 roof, with an additional area on the stage 2 roof designed & constructed to cater for further panels in the future.

Photography by Chris Hill Photographer.