82 | ARCHITECTURE Jon McAlpine Architecture: Carpentry Collective 07 574 4527 info@tkb.co.nz www.thekitchenbusiness.co.nz exquisite . unique . quality WINDOWS & DOORS Mt Maunganui | 07 575 5074 • Aluminium windows & doors • Replacement joinery • Free quoting service • Metro Series • Architectural Series • Thermal Heart Email: sales@epicwindows.co.nz 45 Newton Street Proud to support Jon McAlpine Architecture Whitianga-based Master Builders servicing the Coromandel Peninsula Proudly Supporting Jon McAlpine Architecture At Carpentry Collective, we specialise in all aspects of residential building across the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula. Whether it’s new homes, renovations, extensions, or bespoke projects, we bring quality craftsmanship and attention to detail to every custom home build. 021 137 4083 carpentrycollectiveltd@gmail.com www.carpentrycollective.co.nz T T Nick Walker A quieter kind of luxury Jon McAlpine Architecture: Mātua House Maximising space The bach is the first stage of a broader redevelopment planned for the site. T T Nick Walker A 60sqm holiday home might sound like a tight brief for a family of eight. But Barrowclough Road in Whangamatā shows how much can be achieved when every part of a design is made to work hard. Designed by Jon McAlpine Architecture, the bach is the first stage of a broader redevelopment planned for the site. The Auckland-based owners ultimately intend to replace the existing road-front dwelling with a new primary residence. In the meantime, they wanted a compact, durable and low-maintenance holiday retreat for family stays. The result has earned a Waikato Regional Award for New Home up to 150sqm at the ADNZ | Resene Architectural Design Awards, as well as a Commended Award for Resene Colour in Design. The challenge was to create a genuine holiday home rather than simply squeeze the requirements of a larger house into a smaller footprint. The plan is organised around a central living space and kitchen, with sleeping areas at either end. One contains a custom bunk room with six built-in bunks, while the other houses the private master suite. A combined bathroom and laundry supports both short visits and longer family stays. Then there is the covered deck. With so little space inside, the outdoor living area takes on almost as much importance as what’s inside. It certainly adds usable space to the building’s footprint. At the edge of Tauranga Harbour, Mātua House is designed to let its surroundings do much of the talking. That restraint helped earn Jon McAlpine Architecture a Regional Award for Residential Interiors at the ADNZ | Resene Architectural Design Awards, recognising a renovation that creates a calm, timeless interior without competing with its spectacular waterfront setting. The 339.5sqm home was carefully designed in collaboration with interior designers Weekday Studio to create spaces that feel settled and unhurried, while allowing views towards Mauao to remain the focus. Dark-stained oak joinery wraps through the kitchen, living and bedroom spaces, creating continuity and a sense of enclosure without making the interiors feel heavy. Natural stone, including Silver Roots, Negresco and Dark Emperador, adds texture and weight, while olive and natural linen upholstery, blackened timber and carefully selected furniture and lighting build a layered but understated palette. The result is sophisticated without feeling overly designed. “Form and function should work together, with spaces connecting naturally and adapting to changing needs rather than being designed simply for a moment in time.” Built-in seating and an exterior fireplace allow it to be used throughout the year, while sliding aluminium screens can open it to the landscape or provide shelter and privacy. The architecture itself is deliberately simple. A gable form with a lean-to roof references the traditional New Zealand bach, while painted board-and-batten timber cladding reinforces its relaxed coastal character. Inside, plywood lines the entire home, paired with hard-wearing stainless steel and plywood cabinetry in the kitchen. The custom bunk beds are integrated into the architecture, incorporating shelving and lighting without consuming unnecessary space. High ceilings and strategically positioned skylights bring natural light deep into the compact interior, helping it feel considerably larger than its footprint suggests. The simplicity also serves a practical purpose. Durable materials reduce maintenance, while the compact building uses fewer construction resources and requires less energy to operate. The covered outdoor area provides additional living space without adding enclosed floor area. Perhaps most unusually, the bach has been designed for a future beyond its current role. Its footprint and foundation structure allow it to be relocated, giving the owners flexibility as the wider redevelopment takes shape. It’s an approach that reflects the wider philosophy of Jon McAlpine Architecture, which specialises in residential design across the Bay of Plenty, from modest homes to expansive beachfront and rural residences. For founder Jon McAlpine, good residential architecture starts with understanding how people actually live. “Form and function should work together, with spaces connecting naturally and adapting to changing needs rather than being designed simply for a moment in time,” he says. Again, that thinking is evident throughout Mātua House. A freestanding shelving unit doubles as a room divider, maintaining sightlines while providing storage. Furniture and built-in elements encourage movement and interaction, while the relationship between the interior and harbour changes with the seasons.
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