It took more than a decade of thought and planning for this raw, edgy home to emerge from the drawing board. The steep rocky, triangleshaped site offered rich rewards in the form of breathtaking lake views, so design and execution were paramount. There’s no doubt the multi-level 450sqm home has captured these vistas and more. You’ll find five bedrooms, one in a self-contained guest studio, multiple outdoor living areas and richhued timber walls, floors, doors and ceilings crafted from sustainable local beech. For the builder, constructing an architect’s family home on “what is best described as an architect’s site” took exceptional precision and was a real privilege.

Each of the three levels has its own personality, while rustic timbers and a courtyard formed around schist boulders and steel web forge grating pique the interest, drawing inspiration from New Zealand’s agricultural heritage. Continuity and cohesion come courtesy of recycled Australian timber cladding, soffits and rainscreens, and a roof plane mimics the contours of the landscape. No doubt, this is a home of great beauty, but it also excels in myriad other ways. It’s warm, healthy, energy efficient and highly automated. Locally manufactured prefabricated wall and roof panels were utilised to improve efficiency. Passive design principals were adhered to, and the house features include an air-to-water heat pump with costs offset by solar panels, carefully orientated windows with triple glazing, and a mechanical ventilation system. These add up to a home that will stand the test of time.