A Windswept Hillside Home – The Dart by Studio John Irving

With its apex pointing northward, Studio John Irving’s The Dart is a direct and uncompromising response to the topography of the land. Set on a dramatic and windswept site, the strength and simplicity of the form anchor the building to the hill while capturing the views to the east and west.

Located at Bream Tail Farm, near Mangawhai north of Auckland, architect John Irving explains that the project was born of the “refreshingly open” brief and the specific qualities of the site. “The brief was purely based around function, such as the number of bedrooms, so it was very open – the client was very trusting,” he says.

This ensured that the design process was remarkably straightforward, with the finished project largely unchanged from the initial concept drawings. Describing his design process, John says that “it always starts the same, you take in the arrival journey and you stand there on the site and see what pops into your head.” Standing there atop the hill and being struck by the “raw windswept nature of the site, the idea was to anchor something strong yet simple into the land,” he says.

“The brief was purely based around function, such as the number of bedrooms, so it was very open – the client was very trusting.”

When viewed in plan, the geometry of the building is strikingly unusual, but when experienced in elevation, it becomes familiar – a timber-clad home with gable roof and generous sheltered openings. “The form was a direct response to what is there,” John reflects. “The topography is a north-facing peninsula with views to the east and west. To the north directly across the valley is another house site, so we didn’t want to be staring at the future neighbours. The dart just fell into place, I didn’t really have a choice. Luckily, the client agreed.”

While the form of The Dart has a defined presence within the landscape, the soft grey of the weathered cedar cladding is visually soft. The panelled façade takes on an appropriate, almost agricultural, quality yet with a level of refinement in the detailing that makes a contemporary architectural statement. Terraces to both the east and the west balance the need for protection from the wind and elements with the imperative to capture the exceptional views of the landscape and ocean. “Depending on the time of day and wind direction you can take your pick, and then when there’s no wind, it’s all on!” John explains.

“Raw windswept nature of the site, the idea was to anchor something strong yet simple into the land.”

Both in materiality and in the experience it seeks to create, the interior was conceived as a continuation of the exterior. The kitchen living and dining area are set within one large open space bordered by large glazed openings on either side that create a sense that the space is more an open-sided pavilion than a typical indoor room. “We applied the same thinking in and out, conceptually the living space is a covered outdoor area, so the cedar walls wrap around from outside to inside,” says John. “Some bits are walls, some bits are storage, it all looks the same. Good luck finding the fridge.”

With the key functional aspects of the space concealed, careful consideration was given to those that remain on display. The extended kitchen island creates a linear edge over which the line of sight out through the glazed splashback to the view beyond is uninterrupted. The kitchen design was “all about this island block that runs from east to west as the one object in the space, breakfast at one end cocktails at the other,” John explains. “All the functions are in the background to the island.”

“Some bits are walls, some bits are storage, it all looks the same. Good luck finding the fridge.”

The client requested Fisher & Paykel appliances, all of which are seamlessly hidden with the exception of the freestanding 900mm cooker that takes pride of place in the centre of the kitchen. In such a location far from restaurants, the only choice is to cook, so the appliances needed to be “robust, reliable and, apart from the cooker, very much in the background,” John says. He explains that, in the context of the otherwise minimalist integrated kitchen design, “I like the timeless look of the gas hobs with their chunky cast iron pan supports so I was happy to play that up a little.”

In contrast to the familiar freestanding cooker, the integrated refrigerator is entirely hidden. This is not the only surprise, however – the kitchen is also equipped with an integrated DishDrawer and CoolDrawer, which provide a high level of additional functionality. “I recall I talked the clients into putting in a CoolDrawer to supplement the fridge and they are converts!” says John. “They are very happy with all the appliances and they said they wouldn’t change a thing about the house, which is always lovely to hear.”

The client requested Fisher & Paykel appliances, all of which are seamlessly hidden with the exception of the freestanding 900mm cooker that takes pride of place in the centre of the kitchen.

With the kitchen at one end of the open-plan space, the other is centred around the fire, which is set within a darker wall that provides a moment of contrast with the timber. This space forms the heart of the home, with two further private zones completing the picture. A master suite to the front of the home “is a place for the parents to retreat, it has its own little deck which is my favourite part of the house,” John describes. Meanwhile, “the third area with two bedrooms and a bunkroom can be closed off behind some big sliders so its circulation is separate from the living, which is handy when entertaining.”

From its vantage point high on the hill, The Dart is both a retreat and a welcoming place for gathering with friends and family. Resolving a number of requirements into one singular defined gesture, the project delivers on the extraordinary promise of its site.

“They are very happy with all the appliances and they said they wouldn’t change a thing about the house, which is always lovely to hear.”