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Boatshed Bay by Patterson Associates
Boatshed Bay embodies the spirit of the intergenerational Kiwi bach, composed as independent volumes cloaked in a unifying cover, intrinsically linked to its location.
The traditional beach house is a place held dear within the New Zealand family unit. Traversing generations, the Kiwi bach often resembles an ad hoc adaptation – an evolution of humble lean-tos to something larger and more enduring. This is a place for families and friends to converge and reunite. Whether sporadic weekend getaways or long summer stints, the bach provides shelter, warmth and respite for those who inhabit it. Off the coast of Aotearoa’s mainland, Boatshed Bay by Patterson Associates is an evolution of the status quo. Resolute in form and detail, the architecture knits together a multigenerational home beneath a unified plane, harkening the longstanding boatsheds of the established site.
At the high-tide line on the northern edge of Waiheke Island rests a sprawling site of 4.5 hectares. Enveloped in a protective outer layer, the dissolved apertures of the new domain capture daylong vistas of the Hauraki Gulf. “Intent on embracing this coastal vernacular, the client sought an architectural permanence fitting for a range of generations,” explains architect Andrew Patterson of Patterson Associates. The brief called for an assemblage of sorts, defining different zones for convergence and retreat. “The house is conceptually a sculptural, zig-zag gable roof that appears to float over a collection of timber and glass pavilions.” The architecture is as much about enclosure as it is openness. Dispersed around a central pool, two distinct volumes outline a gently cranked U-shaped floor plan. Oriented for views of the bay beyond, the offset assemblage remains permeable and weightless, recalling a shed-like typology. Deep, covered loggias serve to protect from an ever-changing coastal climate, providing shelter from summer heat and funnelling winds.
The bach hunkers low within the bay, flanked by verdant native brushland in all directions. Land is precious here, where structures of old must sometimes make way for new arrivals. “In lieu of demolition, the owners generously offered the former main house to the Waiheke volunteer fire brigade, to burn down as a valuable live training exercise,” says Patterson. A smaller cottage was also relocated on site and refurbished for visitor accommodation. As custodians of the island, this mutual respect for people and place embodies the character of the new. Inspired by five historic boatsheds along the water’s edge, Boatshed Bay shares a familiar language. Amid a backdrop of hardy scrubland, the silvered exterior recedes in celebration of its indigenous, natural context.
Determined to withstand the effects of a challenging geology, the building rests atop a unified concrete raft, with engineered piles injecting stability upon the sandy terrain. A kitset steel-and-timber roof dances across lightweight open planes. Central to the living quarters, a prominent concrete mass extrudes skyward to catch the roofline overhead, instilling solidity and lateral support within an otherwise permeable form.
Descending a driveway of loose gravel and evergreens, one is greeted by an elongated eastern facade, concealing the coastal outlook as if to prolong the sense of intrigue. A tactile screen of vertical slats becomes the first point of discovery, framing slivers of the view upon approach. On a Belgian bluestone plinth, a point of decision presents itself – left toward the formal entry, or poolside and beyond. The primary volume sits near the bay, containing the main suite, guestrooms and communal living spaces. Informally separated, the guest domain is both private and connected, able to accommodate many. Of a similar form, the self-sufficient family wing is notably skewed, projecting outward for clear bay views. A steam room, laundry and outdoor showers are externally accessed in true beach house fashion. Conceived as a double-sided dwelling, pavilions are one room deep, inviting an effortless change in venue as the weather prescribes.
The palette is distilled and unified – consistent in texture and detail and enriched by moments of light and shade. Cloaked in a cedar shell devoid of visible fixings, a custom vertical batten continues uninterrupted over walls and doors. Floors, ceilings and soffits are of the same material and hue, tracing the lines of the zig-zag undercroft from one fold to the next. In-situ concrete masses depict a shared ribbed aesthetic, echoed in the galvanised picket fence of the central pool. Natural stone instils tactility – honed, sandblasted and leathered – while metallic surfaces imbue the home with patina. Double doors with brass pivots, bespoke hardware and blackened brass-clad cabinetry bestow elegant domestic utility. The roof is copper standing seam, adorned by a trio of hooded chimney cowls – sculpted wind vanes of blued stainless steel. Handmade bronze rain chains showcase the passage of water, tethering the canopy to the island landscape.
Boatshed Bay embodies the spirit of the intergenerational Kiwi bach. Composed as a series of self-contained volumes, spaces are cloaked in a unifying cover to protect from the coastal climate and ensure privacy for the inhabitants. The house is composed for seaward vistas, distinctly permeable yet protective and embracing. There is a solidity and permanence about this bach – robustly formed and purposefully detailed in harmony with the boatshed vernacular of decades past.
Architecture by Patterson Associates. Interior design by Rebecca Sutton. Build by Kevin Glamuzina.
