Look up from the shores of Ligar Bay, Tasman region, and you can’t miss the impressive yet restrained holiday home of Mark and Liz Ahern, designed by Young Architects.

WORDS Kathy Catton PHOTOGRAPHY Jason Mann and Ridhwaan Moolla

The Kiwi bach is deeply engrained in New Zealand’s psyche. For many, it’s part of our heritage and our history. We fondly remember childhood summers spent down by the beach or the lake with modest supplies and a simple cabin-like roof over our heads. Endless days of swimming, hunting crabs, and being outdoors until late.

Today, things are different. More modern holiday homes are cropping up and are being built at the luxury end of the spectrum. This newly built, architecturally designed home in picturesque Ligar Bay, near Abel Tasman, is one such example. Perched on a steep hill, directly across the road from the beach, the home is divided across three levels and takes in the expansive views in several directions.

Homeowner Mark Ahearn is from Motueka and remembers with warmth his family’s bach in Wainui where he holidayed as a kid.

“I moved away in my twenties and worked in Perth to earn enough money to purchase my own piece of property to bring my own family to one day,” says Mark.

The Two Arm Wall Light from Mr Ralph adds a mid-century look to the luxury retreat. Designed to allow the top arm and smaller bottom arm to swing in and out, it’s a flexible piece for perfect feature lighting.

And so the journey began. But the passage to get to this spectacular result has been a long one. For Mark and his wife Liz, the concept started back in 2019 – pre- Covid-19 and before starting a family. A different world.

The couple called in Greg Young of Young Architects once they had assembled their ideas and gathered a scrapbook of images.

“The brief called for a modern jungle treehouse that worked with the steep site and the planning constraints,” says Greg. “The homeowners knew they wanted one living area to be separate from the private spaces above, so we adjusted things according to the site topography. It was a juggling act between practicality, cost and geotechnical requirements.”

The resulting three-level home features a top-tier master retreat with an adjoining walk-in wardrobe and bathroom with a sunken bath, as well as an outdoor kitchen, seating area and outdoor shower. The main or middle level houses two bedrooms, one bathroom, and living and dining space. Large pivoting doors lead to
a sizeable deck and outdoor dining area, including an outdoor fireplace. The lower level includes a large car port, laundry and potential for a fourth bedroom, which currently houses all the outdoor activity toys. There’s nothing standard about it and much of the design was custom made.

Greg was not fazed by the prospect of building on the hill. “It’s what we do,” he says. “Whether it’s in Queenstown, Christchurch or Abel Tasman. Rather than just making a hole and putting a massive retaining wall in the ground, it’s much more practical and stable to step the building terraces and reduce the height of the retaining walls.”

And the couple delighted in collaborating with Greg. “He was awesome to work with,” says Mark. “He was always keen to think outside the box with us and push the boundaries. There was a lot of trust from both sides, and it just worked so well.”

But this project was not without its hurdles. From road closures, record-breaking rainfall and material shortages, the project was delayed by various factors at various stages, including a landslip on the land, which brought into question the integrity of the entire build very early on.

“We planned and we planned, but we didn’t know what Mother Nature was going to throw at us,” says Mark. “For us, it was a question of problem solving and finding beauty in the imperfect,” says Liz.
As owners of multiple businesses, the couple had a drive about them to make this personal venture work. It seems fitting to call the home We Wabi, meaning serene beauty.

The 600sqm section sits on land that was among some of the earliest parts of New Zealand to be colonised. With a long history of Ma ̄ori settlement – Abel Tasman first sighted the area in 1642 – careful thought was required as to how the home integrated into the landscape. “An archeologist was engaged as part of the consenting and construction processes, and we engaged local iwi to make sure they were on board with what we were doing,” Greg says.

The structure of the home is a combination of concrete, steel and timber. “Concrete is the logical building material for this type of build,” says Greg. “And because Mark is very experienced with concrete, it made perfect sense to use his expertise.” Exposed concrete was used not only structurally, but also to help moderate the heat within the house and add strength to the home.

“We also steered away from completely hiding the steel,” says Greg. “For instance, we’ve used the structural steel across the front of the buildings as the window frames as well as the structure, rather than putting up the steel and then getting the window frames up as well. It makes the views even more expansive,” he says. The steel becomes the skeleton of the building. The Abodo weatherboard is an ideal complement to provide that rugged, rustic contrast to the home.

While Mark and Liz completed much of the work on this project, builder Jamie Allan was the overseer of the project and helped with “grunt power” where required.

“Mark was my apprentice and worked with me before he moved to Australia,” says Jamie. “It’s been
a great opportunity working with him again on his own home and one we’re really happy with.” Jamie’s largest involvement was completing all the shutterwork for the concrete structures of the build. With difficult access to the site and the 40-degree slope, it was a significant undertaking.

The biggest challenge of the build, from Greg’s perspective, was the difficulty of dealing with Covid-19, both getting contractors on-site and needing to change materials as the project progressed due to supply issues or skyrocketing costs. “It was a bit of a balancing act, but we worked well with the local council to change materials when required,” says Greg.

Looking back, Mark and Liz reflect that they don’t know how they got through some of the monumental challenges of this build. But as the homeowners themselves say, “That’s generally when we thrive the most – under pressure.”

The magic of this home is that it provides family and visitors with the simplicity and beauty of a summer at the bach – creature comforts alongside designer luxury. What makes it even more remarkable is the unique input Mark and Liz have had to the home to make it very much their own: a much-loved bach for now and for future generations.

This home is available to hire on Airbnb.