A Bold Form Responds to a Storied Site – Kaipara Harbour House by Crosson Architects

Taking heed from its rugged west-coast location, Kaipara Harbour House is inspired by the burial ground of ships it sits upon. Akin to upturned hulls in the sand, Crosson Architects responds to the site’s history with a bold robustness.

Standing as an unwavering beacon of resilience, Kaipara Harbour House responds to its unique site. Once the burial ground for abandoned and dismissed sea vessels during the early days of sea trade in New Zealand, the site still houses some of these remains after many years. As an ode to this strange and rare site offering, the resulting home, Kaipara Harbour House, captures a sense of its history. Through a robust, bold choice of cladding, and the planning and overall form, the project speaks to the weathered remains of the discarded ships on the beach.

Standing as an unwavering beacon of resilience, Kaipara Harbour House responds to its unique site.

Reminiscent of upturned hulls in the sand, weathered copper clad volumes emerge from the site, with a hardiness of face that suits the durability required in such harsh coastal conditions. Referencing the remains of structures found on the site, a series of unique internal zones are left as an expression of the overall form and scale. The planning represents the same irregularity as the exterior, where a sense of shifting strong tides and the slow movement on the sands over time is subtly revealed. With such an uninterrupted and expansive coastal aspect, the apertures and openings speak to a connection to the landscape, while on the reverse edge, more passive areas of retreat are carved into the home.

Through a robust, bold choice of cladding, and the planning and overall form, the project speaks to the weathered remains of the discarded ships on the beach.

Relaxed and informal, the approach to materiality emphasises the natural, expressing a warmth internally that welcomes the visitor. As a protective inner layer to the weather-hardened exterior, the interior of lined with timber marine ply sheets expresses the makings of craftspeople in the resulting detail. The untreated tough exterior then speaks to another level of craft, calling for an additional attention to detail.

Reminiscent of upturned hulls in the sand, weathered copper clad volumes emerge from the site, with a hardiness of face that suits the durability required in such harsh coastal conditions.

Instead of creating form that houses an intended program, or an aesthetic to reference a specific style, Kaipara Harbour House instead references its context. Connected to its site, and as an expression of the site’s incredible and storied maritime past, Crosson Architects has proposed a weekend home that speaks to both small and large group gatherings and caters to the needs of its varying-aged guests. The strength in the emergent form on site can be attributed to the intriguing ghosts of the site’s richly woven past.