Feature article
Coastal wilderness
On the divide between suburban street and wild dunescape, Brian White carves a retreat from a singular form.
AI summary
This Bowentown holiday home by architect Brian White is a sculptural retreat inspired by driftwood. Its striking angular form straddles a suburban street and a wild dunescape, creating a unique living experience.
The design features a private facade to the street, while the dune-facing side opens up with extensive glazing. Inside, a timber-rich interior with varying ceiling heights creates a "cocoon" like refuge. A deck was deliberately omitted to preserve the natural landscape, enhancing the home's connection to its wild setting.
The recessed entrance is cut from an otherwise solid street-facing elevation
Not quite perpendicular to the sea, the house is aligned perfectly with the island of Tuhua.
Image: Simon Wilson
Image: Simon Wilson
Inside, the further you move into the house the more it reveals.
The house sits about 100 metres from high tide mark, at the edge of a wild dunescape.
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