Koroa House: a modernist Wānaka residence reconnecting its owners to their New Zealand roots

Written by

30 September 2023

 • 

4 min read

Koroa House in Wānaka.
Koroa House is an intelligently designed, modernist response to its brief. Though robustly protective in its exterior form, once inside, the spatial experience is remarkably meditative.
Beacon Point Road is dotted with homes, but Koroa House's protective form and material palette curate a sense of privacy.
A schist stone wall guides visitors toward the entry.
Beneath the concrete veneer, a layer of timber framing is hidden, filled with insulation to warm occupants.
The visuospatial experience is layered but clearly comprehensible, anchored by a central, north-facing courtyard.
The main bedroom wing sits on the lower level. North-facing cedar screens can be manipulated to enhance privacy, provide shade or to let light flow. Beneath each, a layer of pre-cladding acts as a rainscreen.
Bedrooms are minimal in reflection of their primary purpose, favouring a connection to the outdoors.
Upstairs, on the third level, a tranquil living, kitchen and dining area, courtyard, and guest room await. 
The mountains peek over warm, American oak cabinetry.
The exterior material palette is robust and protective, largely formed of concrete and stone.
In contrast, the interior material palette is soft and warm. The two are linked through their muted minimalism.
At ArchiPro we recognise and acknowledge the existing, original and ancient connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have to the lands and waterways across the Australian continent. We pay our respects to the elders past and present. We commit to working together to build a prosperous and inclusive Australia.