Hidden Hills Retreat, Wanaka Home, New Zealand, NZ Building, South Island Architecture, Photographs
Hidden Hills Retreat in Wanaka
28 Oct 2020
Hidden Hills Retreat
Design: Condon Scott Architects
Location: Wanaka, Otago region, South Island, New Zealand

A rugged backdrop of kanuka forms a striking contrast with this contemporary Hidden Hills Retreat home, located at the base of Wanaka?s Mount Iron.

Comprising two pronounced wedge forms, the home steps down a sloped site, with an open-plan living, kitchen and dining room located in the main wing, where generous floor-to-ceiling glazing allows for uncompromised views of the mountains and lake beyond.

The living spaces open seamlessly through stacking sliders and bi-folding doors onto a wrapped deck and terrace that nestles around the building?s form. Designed for entertaining, this transforms the home in the summer months, allowing for effortless movement between the interiors and outdoor living spaces.
The rear wing contains the bedrooms, bathrooms and a media room. This wing is angled to take in further alpine vistas while also creating a sheltered outdoor space between the two wings. The glazed linkway can be opened to create a functional outdoor living area integrated with the adjacent terrace, or closed to form an internal courtyard.

The strong forms of the rooflines guide the eye past the buildings towards the mountains and lake, while the black veranda creates a stepped punctuation against the roof, hinting at th...