Located in Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand, Cloudy Bay Shack is a private residence designed by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects. The open walls of the home look out to a vast lawn and a lush forest farther on, creating a breezy and light effect. An entry sequence has been established to deliberately dramatise the ‘Cloudy Bay’ view. On arrival, visitors face two weathered steel walls, resembling someone holding their arms out to welcome an old friend. When the door is opened, a warm timber interior is revealed and the view is obscured by a series of concertina timber panels. Bedrooms and bathrooms are focused on the same view, with the added benefit that the visitors can be concealed behind their personal timber screen or gain the view directly by opening the screen. The exterior is composed of materials typical of the region: weathered steel and timber, evocative of rustic buildings seen nestled in the pastoral landscape. This ensures that the building as an object sits comfortably in its environment. To provide unexpected contrast, the interior is lined in well detailed, sophisticated timber and stone.
Photos courtesy of Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects
