Replacing a weathered Spanish-style villa on a cliff edge site in Half Moon Bay, this new modernist house is organised around a central pool deck that draws the four bedrooms and open-plan kitchen, dining, and living spaces together. Every room is orientated northward, capturing the panoramic 180-degree view across the Hauraki Gulf to Rangitoto Island. The master bedroom and lounge occupy the upper level, elevating that connection further still.
Tight height limits and cliff edge setback requirements under local subdivision controls shaped the architecture and structure. The response is a form rooted in mid-twentieth century Californian modernism — flat membrane roof planes that appear to hover above the ground floor living spaces, and full-height glazed sliders that open those spaces entirely to the generous northern outdoor living areas and pool beyond.
Externally, STO plastered blockwall, Japanese Shou Sugi charred Accoya vertical timber and Te Kuiti stone walls work together to anchor the building to its coastal site. Shou Sugi charred timber e carries through to selected interior feature walls, where it sits alongside crisp white plaster, exposed clear Abodo Vulcan timber sarking to the walls and ceilings with and bespoke built-in joinery.
The 300m² house is designed around the immediate family, with the fourth bedroom configured as a self-contained wing for extended family. Construction is underway, with completion expected mid-2026.