Special architecture is inspired by special pieces of land: one makes the other better. This could not be more true of Taiharuru Cove, on the ocean side of Whangārei Heads, overlooking Bream Head and the Hen and Chickens Islands. This whole coast is known for its spectacular coves and ancient craggy volcanic peaks, and this is one of its finest pieces of land – 34 hectares rising from its private coastal frontage to the Kauri Mountain ridge 240 metres above.
In 2002, architect Chris Wilson of Wilson & Hill designed a multi-generational family sanctuary here, with buildings and materials designed to blend into the outstanding natural landscape. Buildings are separate from each other and subtly different with their own character – a move that breaks down the programme’s bulk, creating interest and personality, not to mention an implied sense of history.
With far-reaching views to the horizon, the homestead is broken into multiple wings connected by wide verandahs. The main living wing is clad in Maungaturoto stone, with its eight-metre-stud rooms running out to a generous lawn; a two-storeyed wing next door contains bedrooms; behind that is garaging, a laundry and a gym.
Along the ridge, the guest house takes a contemporary New Zealand colonial style, with dormer windows and a corrugate roof. Altogether, there are six bedrooms and four bathrooms across the two buildings.
Near the cove, reached by a formed road, there’s a third building known as “The Ritz” above the beach. An open-plan studio with a kind of boathouse feel, it features an indoor and outdoor bathroom and a sheltered courtyard with open fire. This building is fully off-grid and draws its water from a mountain spring.
The land is sheltered from the prevailing southwest wind and is completely private from neighbours: you can’t see another house. Extensive native bush cover includes significant areas of old native forest, with numerous kauri, some hundreds of years old, as well as ancient pōhutukawa. This has been amplified by a 25-year conservation programme by the owners (40 percent of the property is covenanted), which has seen the return of numerous kiwi and other native birds.
There’s scope to add to the property, too, with the land in two titles and a defined building site on the second, providing options for further development or occupation. After developing the land, a change in family circumstances presents a unique opportunity to secure this ultimate piece of paradise.
Taiharuru Cove
Taiharuru Cove, Whangārei Heads
