The top of a hill in the town of Peka Peka, a lightly populated seaside location on the Kapiti Coast of New Zealand’s North Island, is the setting for this wonderful building. This location not only has stunning views of the sea, but at the same time it overlooks the green mountains covered by a thick pine forest and agricultural fields.
John Melhuish, who forms part of the team at the architectural firm Herriot Melhuish O’Neill Architects, designed this project in the year 2015, covering an area of 176 square meters of construction plus 54 square meters of garage area.
The building is divided into two blocks of black cedar. In one of them are the social areas of the house and in the other the private areas. In a third block are the garage and workshop.
In the center of the blocks there is a protected courtyard. Design is a response to both views and climate; the latter a particularly important consideration for the whole year, living in such an exposed place. The north facing patio is protected from the coastal winds but still enjoys sea views through the living room. The house promotes some ecological values through the use of hot water solar panels.