Te Arai

Amongst the dunes and pine forests along the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island is a pair of gabled timber sheds. The design references the timber working sheds found in rural New Zealand.

The buildings nestle against the dune edge, creating a relaxed and timeless sense of harmony with the environment. Between them is an area for seating and outdoor fire.

To control lights, air, view and privacy, the house is layered with sliding timber shutters. Together with the timber cladding and roof, the material will age and silver over time - integrating the building even more with the landscape.

By using timber on the interior it brings together the building as a whole and blurs indoors with outdoors. The interior timber is oiled to provide warmth as a subtle counter to the exterior.

Inside a combination of sloping and flat ceilings provide both intimate and voluminous spaces. When the ceilings are raised and sloping to the ridge, a dado of timber down-stands visually links the spaces and echoes the lines of the windows and shutters.

Design: Fearon Hay

Materials by RK Timbers:

Open rainscreen to roof and enclosed rainscreen to walls utilising Vertical shiplap weatherboards, in Western red cedar, with a bandsawn face.

Coated in Dryden WoodOil Platinum.

Cavity battens and fixings.

Western red cedar is also used for interior panelling and shutters.