Completing a complex, bespoke build of a 80 sqm holiday cottage, with a second storey and multiple landscaping features.

CLIENT
MARK S

ARCHITECT
NOVARE ARCHITECTURE

ENGINEER
SEAJAY ENGINEERS

Overview

This Pekapeka holiday cottage, built on a 1.4-hectare site features a tennis court, playground, and with other difficult design features, was a challenging co-operative effort with Novare Architecture. The steep challenges we faced in producing this beautiful project were managed with careful planning and innovation, resulting in a gorgeously unique home-away-from-home right next to Pekapeka Beach.

Challenges

From the outset, the plan of building this modern cottage in the side of the sand dunes was a difficult challenge to meet; finding the right location, depth of groundworks, and materials and method for the build was paramount. Beyond the foundation, the build called for a natural timber finish conjoined with schist columns, to meet the planned interior timber features.

A two-storey build was required to allow for the inclusion of a observation viewing deck to see out over the beach. As a recreational home-away-from home, the build included a full refurbishing of a tennis court, and adjoined child-safe playground for the kids.

The bespoke nature of the build, with the difficult foundation, was also a stones throw from the beach, introducing a new paradigm of challenges to overcome in terms of materials and structure to ensure a lasting structure for many holidays to come.

Solutions

Completing this ambitious project to the clients expectations was never a simple ask, but the challenge is always welcome. Fortunately, we were involved in the project from early stages allowing Brad and the team to collaborate with Novare Architecture on more than just the final design, allowing us to bring our innovation and forward-planning to task.

We initiated significant earthworks to situate the foundation of the house comfortably within the existing dunes and planted with natural vegetation. To meet the challenging conditions of the beach environment, material choice was carefully considered and implemented, and we used concrete retaining walls with a waterproof membrane to safeguard the property from rot and erosion.

For every challenge that arose, and in these difficult custom builds they always will, we managed to collaborate with the designers and our client to bring proactive solutions to bear.

Outcome

Throughout the build of this bespoke holiday cottage on Pekapeka Beach, collaboration with the client and our colleagues brought the right outcomes to task. It resulted in a beautiful holiday location for the family with a unique home and a beautiful outdoor space featuring a tennis court and playground. It’s a home-away-from-home in one of the most charming places you could imagine.

They had to be experienced, capable, and think outside the square. Brad is really great in that regard - constantly innovating.

GARY PHILLIPS, NOVARE ARCHITECTURE