Restrained design and clarity of vision define this Bay of Plenty home by Arkhē Architecture.

WORDS Cassie Doherty PHOTOGRAPHY Hunter Studio

Surrounded by native bush above the coastline of the Eastern Bay of Plenty, looking out to the Rurima and Moutohorā Islands, this site is a special one.

Homeowners and downsizers Clare and Kevin Power are themselves something to be reckoned with – they purchased the property fresh from trekking the length of New Zealand on the formidable Te Araroa trail. While planning their forever home, they camped on-site for a year, pondering their specific requirements.

While the brief for the house itself was open, the pair had other priorities. “We didn’t want the house
to compete with the area’s natural beauty but rather work with it and allow us to feel connected to the environment, both indoors and out,” says Clare. “We also wanted a minimalist style with a small footprint.”

When they came across Diego Marangoni, director of Arkhē Architecture, they were impressed by his process. Says Diego: “They liked how we designed for specific, unique localities, and found our intentionality really interesting.”

Diego always begins with what he calls a deep investigation, to discover what it is that connects the site to the clients. “It’s not an approach that is dictated by the architect,” he says. Rather than impose his vision, he delves into all the conditions, restrictions and context, following logical processes to arrive at the ideal resolution. “That way, every time I approach a new design, I don’t have to wonder.”

In this case, a major factor was that the homeowners wanted to simplify their lives. “They wanted to not only downsize their house but downsize their lifestyle as well.”

Colour choices are key to this project, including the concrete floor colour by PeterFell, which is PFL155 from the Neutral range finished with C2 Gloss. There’s a wide variety of options in the innovative PeterFell range for evoking a unique look and feel.

The next consideration was the site. As a new subdivision, there was an existing steep driveway, and a limited, oddly shaped building platform. It was surrounded by pristine native bush, with substantial setbacks from steep banks for structural and erosion control reasons.

Then, the light. “We have bedrooms on the western end against a very high bank of vegetation, so they’re not negatively affected by the western sun. Then you have the main living area as a single, open space in the middle, facing north and enjoying the views. And the master bedroom is on the eastern end of the house, and that’s where we have the most welcomed source of natural light, the eastern light. So that’s where the roof rises to maximise the glazing. On the northern elevation, the roof gently decreases in height towards the western side, where we want to be protective and manage the sun intake. The building shape is very much informed by the circadian rhythm.”

Lastly, the locale. It was imperative that the building be recessive – even the garage roof shape mimics the angle of the new driveway, so it feels as if it’s been carved out of the land. “The surroundings are stunning so it doesn’t make any sense to design something that tries to bring more attention to itself. There are circumstances where I like to subvert the context, if there’s something suburban and really restrictive, but in this case we worked on subduing the building against the landscape, punctuated with large expanses of glass to engage with the views.”

Materials were key. The green-grey Colorsteel cladding is quiet and robust, while charred Japanese cedar elevates the exterior on a human scale – a tactile and engaging material on the interactive areas by doors and sliders. It even smells nice, says Diego, and avoids an overly industrial look. The concrete flooring with in- slab heating is robust and low maintenance and works very efficiently as a solar heat sink.

The intention is for a rural feel, in both form and finish. Bathrooms have external access so they also function as mud rooms, and there’s no wasted space. Bedrooms are multi-functional; there is no unnecessary separate dining room, nor the formality of a front door. Guests enter through the glass slider. To Diego, the home’s modest but comfortable size is crucial to sustainability. “The carbon footprint is mostly attributed to the size of a home itself.”

Partway through construction, the homeowners and original builder parted ways, and Thomas Blakeway of Karma Construction stepped in. While some of the exterior was already complete, Thomas and his team focused on the interiors as well as garaging and decking. “I jumped at the opportunity to showcase what we can do,” he says. And he did it seamlessly, with creative thinking and wide experience that is ideal for taking on a unique high-end project such as this. His highlight is the birch-ply lined ceiling. It was extremely painstaking work, calculating the fit and pattern for the complex raking angles, but it’s a showstopper.

“It has been executed perfectly,” says Diego, noting how important the material was to reflect the light and fill the space with a warm, golden hue. “It was lucky we got Thomas. He came in and did an amazing job.”

It can be no easy task to jump in mid-project, but Thomas made it work with open communication. He relished the opportunity to share ideas with Diego. “I love it when people are willing to hear different perspectives because I’m there every day, looking at it in different ways. For me, all the little details matter.”

He was quickly in tune with Clare and Kevin, often sharing a laugh. “Because they were living on-site, they were in every morning, every night, checking out the progress, and they trusted us.”

The couple also enjoyed the process. “It was a pleasure to work with those that felt passion and connection to the build,” says Clare. “From the very beginning Diego took time to really get to know who we were and what was important to us. His design was just perfect. He thought of many important factors, such as the sun’s angle in different seasons, that we greatly appreciate now we live in the house. Thomas and foreman Rex were also passionate about the build and took pride in the smallest of details. Their easy-going natures and friendly personalities made the process less stressful for us.”

Thomas is impressed with the easy elegance of the end result. “You’re in your own little world up there. It’s so picturesque, and the design absolutely nailed it. It just fits in that site so beautifully.”

Diego also loves it. “It was a really adventurous project for the clients. I’m really happy with it; I think it really respects the context and reflects their characters.” The home won a regional ADNZ Architectural Design Award for New Homes up to 150sqm in 2024 and was a 2024 Best Awards Residential Finalist.

As for Clare and Kevin, their biggest surprise is the feel of their home in the evenings. “At night the house comes alive and feels connected to the ngahere that encompasses it. We still get a thrill being here in the evening, listening to the ruru call and watching the rewarewa and tree ferns gently sway in the breeze.”