Roys Peak Crib is a contemporary holiday home in Wanaka, designed by Hamish Muir, Architect Director at Mason & Wales Architects, for clients wanting to develop a property that would complement and contrast their primary residence in Auckland and beachfront bach in the Coromandel.  The clients approached a local architect with an appreciation and understanding of the local landscape, climate and character, and shared interests such as boating, biking, barbequing and Land Rovers.

The house form pays homage to the ‘crib’, the classic South Island back-country tramping hut, but at a larger more contemporary scale.  The building size is managed by a collection of linked and separated forms that use the traditional and recognisable roof pitch, generated by a 3:4:5 triangle. Garaging has been intentionally split to avoid the inherent suburban feel. Instead, a single vehicle garage provides internal access and human scaled forecourt, with a separate boatshed, to reduce scale and add interest to the composition of buildings across the property.

The house design has a high-performance thermal envelop to satisfy harsh local climatic conditions and extremes. It was one of the first projects to use locally made NZSIPS panels for the roof structure, which served as a useful learning experience for the project team. New technologies include the energy efficient and innovative floor heating system (kilma futura) that does not require screed and allows for a rapid response, which was attractive for the use of the property for short terms stays.

The exterior material selections suit the local vernacular, and the roof is clad in metal tray roofing, with a scale and rhythm that provides a strong graphic form within the landscape.  Exterior wall cladding is dark-stained vertical shiplap cedar boards, of randomised width profiles, to diffuse the scale of the pavilions and to soften the exterior.

From the street and driveway, the house and its adjacent boatshed appear closed off, with narrow windows providing glimpses in and out of the house. However, as you enter and walk through the hallway into the living room and kitchen, the expansive view of Roys Peak opens up ahead.

The interior material palette is understated and slightly rustic to suit the mountain aesthetic, with blackened steel on the fire surround and oak floorboards. A large window seat stretches across the living room, inviting relaxation and enjoyment of the view.

A study connects the living room pavilion to the private areas of the house, providing a serious remote environment. The bedrooms are designed to be spacious but also practical for holiday use, allowing for plenty of storage of winter gear and holiday necessities.

A separate ‘summer house’ pavilion, designed with the same materials and form as the main house, sits across the lawn from the living area. This provides a sheltered spot to retreat from the sun in the summer, with a pizza oven and spa pool. It also offers privacy from the neighbouring driveway that runs along the edge of the property.

Simple but effective construction detailing allows the architectural design of Roys Peak Crib to be subservient with the quality fittings, fixtures, furniture and art, creating a comfortable setting in which to appreciate the surroundings.

Project Type: New Residence
Location: Wanaka
Year: Completed 2018
Published: Houses Magazine - Winter 2019 ISSN 2253-3311
Photo credits: Larkin Photography (as marked) all other images by Simon Devitt