Deep Cover by Edwards White Architects

In Tamahere, a small township in the Waikato District on New Zealand’s North Island, a generous resident wanted to create an amenity that both facilitated games of cricket and provided a place for teams to come together pre- and post-match, bolstering a sense of community.

Working with Edwards White Architects, the client envisaged the pavilion as an approachable space that reflected the casual nature of the game and celebrated the way cricket unites people in their passion. The result is Deep Cover, an award-winning facility named for its position on the cricket pitch.

“The idea of the pavilion within this landscape was intended to tread the line between the highly manicured and the natural.”

“The idea of the pavilion within this landscape was intended to tread the line between the highly manicured and the natural,” says Daniel Smith, director of Edwards White Architects. “In selecting materials, we considered how they would age gracefully over many years, with the goal of creating a patina that speaks to the heritage of the ‘clubroom’.” The tectonic approach to expressing structure, the rounded columns that reference cricket stumps and the way the space’s elements come together are all intentionally modest but robust.

“The cricket pitch served as inspiration for a playful piece of architecture,” says Daniel. Taking inspiration from the game itself, and adaptable in its layout to accommodate different-sized groups, Deep Cover is a place for everyone.

Architecture and interior design by Edwards White Architects. Build by SJR Builders. Landscape by Quinn Landscaping. Engineering by Sullivan Hall. Joinery by King & Co. Artwork by Jaimee Stark and Ruth Friedlander.