“The first time we visited the site, it was a harsh, blustery day, which was perfect,” says Tony Koia, of Koia Architects. “I like seeing a site at its worst because you can always imagine something at its best.” As high winds whipped across the top of Tāhuna Queenstown’s Bendemeer Station, the design direction instantly revealed itself. “Right then and there, we decided to make the home strong in the landscape, to make it stand up against the elements and to make it out of concrete.”

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Hunkered into the hilltop, bridging the gap between two grassy knolls, the house would “glow”, Koia resolved. “You picture those romantic huts, where you’re coming in from the rain and wind to the warmth of a roaring fire,” he describes. “That was the feeling we wanted to create.” The staunch façade is countered by a softer cedar core. The three-bedroom plan spans two connected forms – one concrete and one timber – positioned to take in the sweeping alpine vista.

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“There’s basically a 240-degree view that brings in Coronet Peak on one side, the full extent of The Remarkables on the other and the valley floor in front,” the architect explains. The building boomerangs to capture the vast outlook, curving organically so that it settles within the landscape rather than simply sitting on top of it. Appropriately, the central living space is enveloped in glass to take it all in. “There’s a school of thought that you should minimise the glazing for thermal performance, but we tend to find ourselves too besotted with the view,” says Koia. So, he found an alternative.

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The architect incorporated floor-to-ceiling high-performance Altherm thermal glazing across the western face to capture the entire panorama without sacrificing warmth. Intentionally interrupting the view with external vertical louvres, the slatted piece adds a visual break and texture to the pared-back façade, keeping it from “becoming a goldfish bowl”. During summer, an exaggerated overhang on the northern face fends off direct sunlight, while the concrete-slab shell regulates temperature by absorbing, retaining and dispersing the heat.

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The house has a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. It eschews the formality of many modern homes, opting instead for the comfort that exists between contemporary and casual. There’s no grand foyer: instead, you enter through the garage or the sliding Altherm door off the living area – both lead you into the crux of the home. It’s prepped for the clients’ eventual retirement with a separate timber guest wing, internal access, plenty of storage and minimal maintenance required. “It’s straightforward,” Koia says simply. “Casual, relaxed and natural.”

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To see more about this project including video and podcast, click here.

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