FANTAILS, TOKONGAWA DRIVE

A dramatic site at the end of a long bush lined drive dropping off steeply to a small beach fronting the entry to the Otuwhero Inlet, a 5m height restriction, a building circle to build within and an extremely visible site from the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park. These were the challenges faced in the design and construction of this coastal house. The solution - to dig the house into the steep hillside and build on levels stepping down the slope into the bush. Materials and colours have been chosen to blend - sandy coloured plaster, stained weatherboards, bush green roof.

From the entry -arriving at the high point of the roof, tentlike- the campsite. Stepping down under the tent fly and into the house. Wending your way down the stairs into the interior of the house steadily opening up as you descend. The rooms fanning out either side of the stairway and then out on to a generous terrace which forms the roof to bedrooms below. These in turn open at ground level into the bush to the path leading on down the cliff to the beach below.

Completed 2004

Design:
Min Hall
Brain Riley
Nick Reeve

Interiors:
Caroline Marshall

Builder: B & T Builders
Photographs:Elspeth Collier