The site?s previous existence was a market garden with shelterbelts forming large outdoor rooms. Our client then planted part of the site with vineyards and fenced off paddocks for horses. He built a barn and a dressage arena. 

© Patrick Reynolds

Architects: Herbst Architects

Location: Waimauku, New Zealand

Project Year: 2016

Photographs: Patrick Reynolds , Lance Herbst

Contractor: Paul & Trevor Buchan

© Lance Herbst

The site?s previous existence was a market garden with shelterbelts forming large outdoor rooms. Our client then planted part of the site with vineyards and fenced off paddocks for horses. He built a barn and a dressage arena. 
© Lance Herbst

The house presented an opportunity to bring order to the large site.
Some division was needed between the private home and the public dressage arena.
Bi-axial landscaping elements of Gabion baskets were employed to divide the site into quadrants. 

© Lance Herbst

The gabion basket walls start low demarcating entry points and rise up to form the anchor wall of the house. 

© Patrick Reynolds

The house has 3 positive elements with negative spaces between. These positive elements house the Lania, the garage and the bedrooms. They are articulated as simple box forms with weathered timber planked skins refe...