In pursuit of paradise
A simple brief to Barry Connor Design led to the creation of this brave and bold home built by JM Bint Construction. It’s a unique place to relax and marvel in the Mackenzie Country.
WORDS Kathy Catton PHOTOGRAPHY Dennis Radermacher
It’s not every day that you get to swoon over a house. But there’s something about this place that instantly captures your heart. Gently nestled into the tussock grasslands at the foothills of the Ben Ohau range sits the Skylark cabin.
For homeowners Garry and Liz, they get to call this place home. Liz has family connections in the Twizel area, and after discussing what they were going to do with the next stage of their lives, the couple decided to buy some land and create a retreat.
“We just fell in love with the place,” says Garry. “We signed the sale and purchase agreement the same day we saw the land. It just felt right.”
A NURTURING INTERIOR The light beech plywood interior captures the feeling of being nestled in the landscape.
The beauty of the surrounding landscape inspired Garry and Liz’s brief to Barry Connor, the architectural designer. What they conceived is a place for relaxation and rejuvenation with the intention to provide only for the essentials: a place to cook, sleep, reflect and bathe.
“We knew we wanted to build under 50 square metres,” says Garry. “We wanted a point of difference. It had to be interesting and in line with our personalities.” What this meant, in reality, was a home with two offset open-plan spaces. One contains the bedroom and bathroom, positioned to allow morning sun in both winter and summer, and the other holds the kitchen, entry and living areas.
Barry Connor, an architectural designer with over 20 years of experience building homes throughout New Zealand, explains more about the quirky layout of the home, saying, “The angle of the offset was derived from plotting specific views from certain activities; lying in bed, washing the dishes, having a shower. The folded form also nods to the distinctive aerial displays of the local skylarks, with their angular, precise and purposeful acrobatics.”
BIRD'S NEST The exterior is cloaked in a Siberian larch timber rainscreen from Halswell Timber and represents the idea of a bird’s nest.
It’s these moments of capturing the natural paradise of this place that really sum up the home: elegant, respectful and peaceful.
The couple has been delighted with Barry’s work and enjoyed the collaborative process between the three of them. “Barry worked his magic and wasn’t put off by our ‘what ifs’ and ‘how abouts’,” says Garry.
Known for his creative approach and attention to detail, Barry describes this project as, “Pretty out there!” “It’s not often that the client is open to being brave and bold,” says Barry. “I am always open to having ideas thrown at me. This is what allows me to capture the client’s personal lifestyle in the designs that I create.”
Designed to be robust, warm and energy-efficient
The cabin’s exterior is cloaked in a rough sawn Siberian larch timber rainscreen and represents the idea of a bird’s nest. Located within the harsh and extreme alpine climate of the Mackenzie Basin meant the choice of materials was paramount to its success. With temperatures reaching highs of 30 degrees in summer and lows of minus 10 degrees in winter, it was vital the materials could stand the radical temperature changes.
The contrasting burnt orange window frames punctuate the shell and frame the views of the mountains and the stars. The circular skylight over the bed provides for views of the prized and protected Mackenzie Aoraki Dark Sky Reserve by night and lazy views of the vast hazy skies by day.
The contrasting light beech plywood interior reflects the warm cream tones of the exterior and captures the feeling of being nestled in the landscape. Black-edged ply rib detailing represents the ‘cradle’ of being inside: protected, safe and private.
“The burnt orange structural frames that connect the entry porch with the carport were a specific request from Garry and Liz,” says Barry. “These were used to emphasise the main structural elements of the home and frame the outstanding views.”
It is clear that a lot of thought has gone into this home. Designed to be robust, warm and energy-efficient, the home has a fully corrugated roof and hidden spouting within the timber rainscreen cladding. “It’s different to a normal build,” says Barry. “The way I’ve designed the home means that individual panels can be removed easily if repairs or replacements are ever needed.”
This practical and ingenious home sits beautifully within the landscape. Natural stone boulders reclaimed from the site excavation create a nestled plinth on which the cabin perches, with views of The Black Hills, Backbone Peak and Ben Ohau.
“Our digger driver, Andy Carpenter, did all of our earthworks. He was such a skilled and patient guy,” says Garry.
Jason Bint, award-winning Master Builder from JM Bint Construction, took on the challenging task of making this home a reality and getting to grips with the unusual angles and complexity of a build like this.
NATURALLY DURABLE The light timber decking from the One Stop Deck Shop provides a sunny spot to take in the view.
“It was a fantastic project to work on,” says Jason. “It was a challenge to travel from Wa¯naka, especially during COVID lockdowns, but we would typically go up early on Mondays and stay working on the project until Fridays.
It’s this commitment to building in the dead of winter which impressed both Garry and Liz. “We can’t thank the guys enough,” says Garry. “Jason and his team were great to work with and easy to bounce ideas around with.”
Jason thrived on the occasional difficulties associated with this build. For example, there was no building code for the rainscreen cladding, so it wasn’t easy to get consent from the council. “We thrive on the tricky stuff,” says Jason. “That’s what I’m proud of. I try to really be sought after and not seen. I worked with Nick Parson in Christchurch for ten years. We worked on building sites that other building companies wouldn’t touch, as they were deemed too complicated. ” In the case of the Skylark cabin, Jason sought alternative solutions when the laminated beams holding up the carport roof started to de-laminate.
AVIAN ANGLES The folded form nods to the distinctive aerial displays of the local skylarks.
A place to cook, sleep, reflect and bathe
“The whole part had to be re-engineered,” says Garry. “We went from timber to steel. The end result was beneficial, as it actually created more headroom.”
After a year of building, the home is finally built, and the owners are already enjoying the beauty of the place. Liz’s favourite part of the build is, without a doubt, the outside bathtub. This epitome of relaxation holds 450 litres of warm water, and on a frosty evening with a glass of wine, it’s a special spot for Liz.
It’s when standing back and looking at the whole home, sitting amongst the grass, that Garry’s heart is full. “It’s that sense of connecting with nature and soaking up the landscape, knowing you have built a place of total relaxation,” he says.
And lucky for us, we don’t need to just swoon over this property; it is now available to rent as a private luxury holiday accommodation.
INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Barry Connor Architectural Design
021 203 5992
barryconnordesign.co.nz
BUILDER
JM Bint Construction
027 406 3856
jmbintconstruction.co.nz
ELECTRICAL
Altitude Electrical
03 435 3200
altitudeelectrical.co.nz
TIMBER
Halswell Timber
03 338 9199
halswelltimber.co.nz
DECKING
One Stop Deck Shop
0508 4 DECKS
onestopdeckshop.co.nz
