Auckland’s Waiheke Island is one of the country’s most demanding building environments; a unique setting that requires an innovative approach and a certain amount of local knowledge.

When you build on Waiheke Island there are any number of challenges to overcome. The weather is one issue, while council compliance is another.

Storm and wastewater management are the responsibility of the property owner, while the fact that the island endures more than its fair share of power outages means proper insulation is an important consideration – particularly when winter hits.

There are also visual requirements that have to be factored into any design. The rustic holiday bach of years gone by has made way for more sophisticated houses that blend in with the surroundings rather than compete with them.  

Selecting a local architect made sense, and when Waiheke resident Bryce Ardern won the contract to build this high profile Cable Bay house he brought a great deal of local knowledge, and experience, to the project.  

Because the house would be visible from the sea he had to ensure it would sit well on the site and merge into the landscape. This meant cutting a building platform which mimicked the contours of the site and enabled the split-level home to ‘hunker down’.

Roofing it with Multidek® COLORSTEEL MAXX® Sandstone Grey also helped to blend the building with the site and meet the low-reflectivity values demanded by planning rules. Being so close to the Waitemata Harbour meant that Colorsteel MAXX® was the right choice for the conditions and ensured the cladding would be covered by extensive warranties.

There were other reasons for choosing Colorsteel MAXX® too, including the flexibility to tailor it to specific lengths. Then there was water collection. In weather conditions where the southerly can literally produce horizontal rain, any advantage in capturing water was considered a huge bonus.  

The home has been designed in four main modules around three main outdoor living areas, providing options depending on weather and season. The sea views are to the west (which means exposure to cold south-westerly winds) so rooms are grouped around a protected northern court.

Material: Colorsteel MAXX® in Sandstone Grey
Profile: Multidek®
Supplier: Roofing Industries