textured bach – sculptured house overlooking the sea

Christchurch, New Zealand

The starting point for this project was to design a sculptural artwork in which the owners could shape their lives. Conceptually envisaged as a burnt, chiseled timber sculpture nestled into the side of the natural hillside, it is a home that is multifunctional — providing space to work, rest, and play.

The various spaces are both open-plan and cosy, generous in places and intimate in others. It is a house that invites the landscape in, the spaces animated by the changing light, while at the same time providing privacy for family life to unfold. The function of the house is reminiscent of the carefree timber beach shacks and “baches” with which the area is dotted — a weaving together of landscape and building.