Feature article

Explore New Zealand’s best baches

Here are four of Aotearoa’s best lakeside and beachfront baches.

By Clare Chapman (Editor in Chief, HOME)

Last updated: 8 February 2024 | 3 min read

AI summary

This article showcases four of New Zealand's best architecturally designed baches, each uniquely responding to its stunning landscape from remote lakesides to pristine beaches.

Featured homes include:

- The Dart by Studio John Irving Architects: A triangular, cedar-clad form on a Mangawhai cliff.

- Lake Rotoiti House: A concrete "bunker" on the lakefront designed for all seasons.

- Hill to Horizon House: A 2021 Rural Home of the Year winner balancing privacy and openness.

- Shift House: A modern take on the classic gabled bach in Whangamata.

The Dart by Studio John Iriving Architects

Lake Rotoiti House, designed by Evelyn McNamara Architecture with interiors by Source and Style. Image: Paul Brandon

Lake Rotoiti House by Evelyn McNamara Architecture (with interiors by Source and Style; built by Insight Carpentry)

Hill to Horizon House at Otama Beach, Coromandel, the 2021 Rural Home of the Year. Image: Paul Brandon

Hill to Horizon House by Studio Brick Architects and Lloyd Hartley Architects

This U-shaped bach on a beachfront site in Whangamatā has a north-facing courtyard at its centre, with sightlines through the living area to the coast beyond. Image: Paul Brandon