Style_ April 01, 2021

Style | Home 31
I
t was a build led by the view. The expanse of
Lake Wānaka beckoned from the north, with
Ruby Island beautifully picture-framed by the
distant mountains. It would have been a shame
for those who dwelt within the house not to be
able to see it from every room, so architectural
designer Pete Barham made it happen.
Where traditionally there may have been
walls, Pete and the client decided there
needed to be three-metre floor-to-ceiling
windows in order to encapsulate the view.
This means there is a bit of wizardry going
on – you can see right through the dwelling,
from the hidden lounge area at the back of the
house through to the central courtyard and
the front living room, out to the stage that is
Lake Wānaka.
It’s a marvel for the unlearned, but, according
to Pete, it makes good architectural common
sense.
“You don’t want to be hidden from it
[the view]; you want to arrange the building
around these things in order to have the view
throughout. The east, west and south views are
nondescript, with large retaining walls and other
houses, so you have to do what you can to
look out to that north view,” he says.
“A lot of structure and work has gone into
the front elevation to make sure it’s totally
glazed so every room and every space within
the house can see the view.”
The external use of materials also seems
to build on that view. The cold, solid metal
exterior alludes to the mountains and the
stillness of the lake, while the cedar timber
cladding brings in the warmth of the natural
environment. The cedar softens the places
where you may engage with the building: the
central courtyard and the battens near the front
entrance.
“The battens to the entry tie it into the
ground and create a bit of separation from the
outdoor living,” says Pete.
A perfect design for a holiday home, where
the lure of the water will prove to be too much
to leave those kayaks in storage over winter.