The section promised so much: a canopy of native trees brimming with birdlife, and the chance to feel cocooned in nature. A house built on this site, just minutes from Howick village, could be a true private oasis. There was one problem, however, and it was a steep one. The plunging hillside. It almost put the owners off buying, until the builders assured them this was not new territory for their team. The design-and-build company could overcome challenges posed by the 756sqm sloping site and craft a home that celebrated the mature pōhutukawa, tōtara, cabbage trees and more.

The idea was to immerse the house in the landscape rather than impose a structure on it, and this is where the company’s experience came to the fore; the chief designer adapted a tried-and-true existing floor plan. The resulting 151sqm, two-level, threebedroom home, clad in black weatherboards, hugs the hillside without dominating it, yet still brings architectural punch. Note the carport’s playful roofline beside the entrance. The living zone and main bedroom suite are positioned on the upper floor. Downstairs is two bedrooms and a bathroom for visitors. Each window frames shades-of-green foliage, and bifolds in the living space open onto a deck that appears to hover above the bush. This house is a fusion of craft, warmth and vision — with box seats to a daily nature show.