Houzz Tour: Island Hopping Above the Dunes
A '60s-style cabin becomes a versatile family bach
Wellington-based Spacecraft Architects had more than the usual raft of challenges when it took on the renovation of a family bach. This hillside house above one of the most popular beaches on Waiheke – the increasingly popular island a mere 35 minutes’ ferry ride from downtown Auckland – was at the other end of the country from their practice, in an area with very strict site coverage and waste water regulations. The year-long build converted a ‘shonky’ cabin and ‘dodgy’ basement into a delightful barefoot retreat for several generations of a family.
“There was a lot of discussion about how we could accommodate everyone without having a colossal house,” says architect Tim Gittos, of the bach nicknamed The Dunehopper. By reworking the spaces in the original cabin and basement, and adding a third floor, Spacecraft added only 14 square metres of footprint to the original bach, but a whole lot more functionality.
There were protected pohutukawa trees surrounding the house, and the small section was staggered downhill, creating a delightful approach to the beach.
There were protected pohutukawa trees surrounding the house, and the small section was staggered downhill, creating a delightful approach to the beach.
The new upper-floor box for two new bedrooms spans the hillside bank to the roofline of the existing bach. A significant concrete structure holds up the bank and accommodates the ‘ablutions block’, while the timber-clad bedroom box shelters the main outdoor space below. The architects were careful to carve a series of small terraces up the hill as getaway retreats from the crowds.
“The existing ’60s bach had endless shonky additions,” says Gitto. “We proposed stripping these away to make space on the landward side for a sheltered court. This serves as a central living area, access to the upper storey and overflow sleeping space for the holiday season.”
The original bach additions were no longer sound, so the architects removed all but the central living space, replacing it with the sheltered outdoor rooms and decks.
The new upper-floor box houses the kids’ bunkroom, a fun place with its own decks and outdoor stairs leading down to the shower block and main living floor.
Spacecraft restricted the open-plan living area to a mere 10 x 4 metres. “It is a scale that keeps it feeling like a bach, with big outdoors and little indoors,” Gittos explains. “There is a breeze off the sea, a view to the north and then there’s a nice shady protected environment in behind. The decking all around is almost the same size as the building.”
Serious geo-technical requirements drove the specifications of the concrete retaining wall for the lower ground and mid-floor levels. The architects were happy to make the most of the necessity, and were accustomed to carving and retaining hillsides in Wellington, where their practice is based. “We love the palette of concrete,” Gittos says. “If you’re going to do it anyway, then you might as well expose it and benefit from it.”
The master bedroom and grown-ups’ floor has its own bathroom and decks. Old asbestos cladding was replaced with corrugated iron, and with macrocarpa for the top-floor box, which will weather to silver that blends with the tree trunks.
The master bedroom and grown-ups’ floor has its own bathroom and decks. Old asbestos cladding was replaced with corrugated iron, and with macrocarpa for the top-floor box, which will weather to silver that blends with the tree trunks.
This picture shows the original bach and new retaining wall for the ground-floor bedrooms. The family took the opportunity to add huge water tanks, replacing old joinery with double glazing, and inserting super-insulation for winter warmth. The architects also carefully designed eaves and operable windows that allow breezes inside to keep the house cool in summer.
The masterstroke for the compact house was the outdoor living space. With the large sliding doors that open on both sea and hill sides, there are plenty of places to accommodate a crowd.
A fireplace and barbecue, an outdoor sink, and built-in bench seats mean that summer cooking can be an outdoor affair. Low winter sun penetrates the space, and it is protected from wind and rain by the house, so can be used in all but the stormiest of weather conditions.
The ablutions block, with separate cubicles for shower, toilet and laundry, has the ease of a campground.
Finishes are kept simple and beach-like, with decking, wet-room floors and sturdy wall linings.
The indoor dining table is pushed up to a built-in daybed, a cosy window seat that can cope with the crowds in summer or act as a sunny reading spot in winter. At a pinch, it can be used as a spare bed too.
Furniture is kept to a minimum: built-in bookshelves above the window seat and extra daybeds sit in the living room, along with tables that can do duty indoors or out. An indoor wood fire (opposite the sofa, not shown) means the house can be used year round.
Wherever they could, Spacecraft cantilevered the house’s decks. “The kids say it’s like being in an aeroplane,” Gittos says.
The kitchen opens to both the front deck and back covered terrace, so anyone can grab a beer without too much trouble. The island bench allows for several cooks and helpers to work together, in true bach style. The nook for the wood-burning stove has room for a small TV and bookshelf too.
The bunkrooms open to decks on one side, sea views on the other and are simply furnished for easy camp-style clean up.
The ablution block corridor is to the right, the kitchen to the left.
Views across the trees to the beach are breathtaking, whatever the bedroom. The family have already begun replacement planting of the banks that meet the bush surrounds.
This ground-floor bathroom gives the owner her own private space, away from the crowds. Acquarella White tiles are used again in the wet-area shower.
The house is basically a quick hop across the dunes to the beach, earning it the Dunehopper moniker.
TELL US
What would your dream beach house be like? Share your wishlist of features in the Comments.
What would your dream beach house be like? Share your wishlist of features in the Comments.
Who lives here: An Auckland couple and their summer visitors
Location: Onetangi, Waiheke Island, Auckland
Size: 123 square metres; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Renovated: 2016
Architect: Tim Gittos and Caroline Robertson, Spacecraft Architects