This soaring cliffside build in Scarborough, Ōtautahi, was a walk in the park for the experts at Hillview Construction.

WORDS Cassie Doherty PHOTOGRAPHY Stephen Goodenough

Hillview Construction is very aptly named. “We’re hillside specialists,” says director Shaun Campbell. “Complicated projects are what we’re well known for.”

No site can scare him, and there’s always a solution, whether it be split levels, pole houses or cantilevers. The unique challenges of high-end architectural builds are always welcomed. This new build on the hills in Scarborough, Ōtautahi, makes an excellent case in point – it’s literally built on the ledge of a cliff.

Looks may be deceptive here. From the streetside, says Shaun, the house seems to be a pared-back, single- storey structure. “But at the back there’s a 9m face from the base of the hill. It’s quite impressive.”

Such a difficult site to access meant the project had to be carefully completed, very methodically, from front to back. Every thought and process had to be five steps ahead.

Shaun is clearly an enthusiast for this type of work. He and his wife Kate have owned and operated Hillview Construction for more than 15 years, and they take on projects of all shapes and sizes and enjoy the problem-solving. Shaun started with hill work as a young apprentice. “I learned to do it from the get-go, and I decided it was what I wanted to do.”

This particular project was very technical and had its own set of challenges, requiring impeccable forward planning as well as on-the-fly quick thinking. The house took around 18 months to complete, but it took a good four or five months of that to even get out of the ground, says Shaun.

It was a balancing act, requiring a strong hand in the project management. “If you don’t have everything right, it holds up the whole process. We’re always thinking several steps ahead and because there’s a lot of structural steel in this project, there’s a lot of coordination in that.”

Beattie Air was engaged at the design stage of this project to seamlessly integrate the air conditioning system into the home. The company achieved a visually striking design that provides comfort to the homeowners all year round.

Good communication is the key, says Shaun, who is actively involved through every build that Hillview Construction takes on. He loved working with the project architects, MAP Architects. “The architects were a pleasure to work alongside. The team all collaborated perfectly to create the finer detailing. And the architecture is so crisp and clean.”

Sam Fastier at MAP Architects could not agree more. “We had a fantastic experience with the team at Hillview Construction – their professionalism and craftsmanship were outstanding. On an extremely challenging site in terms of both steepness and access, they managed to make it look easy. They would often remark that this sort of daring construction was what they get out of bed for!”

The design aims to celebrate the challenge of building on an exposed cliff-edge site, says Sam, with its dramatic structural solutions expressed as the home’s aesthetic. “The primary living spaces have been elevated and cantilevered out over the cliff to maximise the views. In contrast to this, the bedrooms have been bunkered down on the lower level to experience the outlook from a more cave-like location, from a position of refuge.”

By wedging a concrete block lower level into the hillside, he explains, this formed the base from which a lightweight steel exo-skeleton could support a variety of cantilevered timber-lined balconies, taking in different vantage points. “The timber decking emphasises the sense of relaxed beachside informality.”

The lucky homeowners had an up-close view of their new place coming together during construction – they lived in the house behind, which they then sold when they moved into this one. “They were such lovely clients and were a pleasure to build for,” says Shaun.

Windows and doors were supplied by Rylock Canterbury, one of the many trusted suppliers that were key to the success of this build. The black joinery adds to the contemporary design.

The three-bedroom, 264sqm home seems to effortlessly capture the expansive vistas that make the difficult clifftop build well worth the effort. There’s also an adaptable outdoor room, says Shaun. “You can close off the area and make it feel cosy, or open it up to the views.”

Exposed concrete blocks, slatted timber and black accents pull together a sharp, contemporary aesthetic. Durable, eco-friendly vitex decking ensures easy maintenance, and clever landscaping ties the house to its hilltop perch. Louvres feature prominently and are all about controlling the sun.

This project required quite a team of subcontractors, who covered not only the technicalities of the big picture but also some very fine detailing.

“You have to have the right people behind you. I like working in collaboration with good people. Everyone really performed, and it was a dream to build.”

The finished result was so outstanding that the house recently attained a Gold award and Regional Category Winner for the Resene New Home $2 million - $4 million category and Regional Supreme House of the Year over $1 million for the Canterbury region in the 2024 Registered Master Builders House of the Year awards.

Shaun credits his team for this highly successful outcome. “The workmanship was top-notch, and that really shows in the awards. I’m pleased that all involved got the accolade they deserve for all the hard work and attention to detail given on this project.”