LET’S RAISE A glass to the craftsmanship of this exceptional project. It’s only fitting that the cellar of this Cooks Beach holiday home is plastered with a material that honours the artisan tradition of winemaking and the natural environment of many wine-growing regions; ROCKCOTE Clay Decor from Resene Construction Systems. This hand-applied clay plaster made of white china clay, marble dust, silica sands and natural binders, creates a natural look that celebrates the plastering tradition. The brief was clear for this build and Edwards White Architects responded with a one-of-a-kind home featuring an unforgettable cellar, executed to perfection by SJR Builders and national award winning plasterer Chris Baker of Plastercoat Coromandel.
“The brief called for a multi-generational family holiday home where the extended family could holiday together without falling over each other,” says Edwards White architect and director Daniel Smith. “The home required enduring materials that were natural in their appearance and would patina over time, with a sense of solidity, permanence and longevity. We chose ROCKCOTE as we knew that the product could be trusted, in other words what we sampled during the design phase is what was going to be delivered on site.” Daniel Smith and his team specified ROCKCOTE Clay Decor as the product for the cellar area because of its natural qualities and bespoked hand-applied finish that can be coloured by Resene. “We selected ROCKCOTE as we wanted a material that had texture and authentic qualities to it,” says Daniel.“We also wanted a material that could be shaped to suit the unique geometry and could bounce light across it to show the textural qualities.”
Additional benefits of ROCKCOTE Clay Decor include its acoustic properties and ability to help moderate temperature swings — ideal conditions for housing an impressive collection of wines. The low VOC (volatile organic compound) formula is als environmentally friendly and completely recyclable. This home is shaped by its beautiful cliff-side location and the tunnel and wine cellar are a key component that link two separate dwellings. The ROCKCOTE Clay Decor works with the other natural materials used elsewhere in the home including cedar and beautiful local stone. “The warmth and texture of the ROCKCOTE paired really nicely with the other natural materials in the build, for example the colour tones of the Te Kūiti limestone,” adds Daniel.
See more of this house and the awards it won in the 2023 House of the Year competition
MASTER BUILDER: SJR Builders, Hamilton
ARTISAN INTERIOR: ROCKCOTE Clay Decor
ARCHITECT: Edwards White
PLASTERING PROFESSIONAL: Chris Baker, Plastercoat, Coromandel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Bill Hedges
