Floating Simplicity – Mawhitipana Beach House by MacKay Curtis

Mawhitipana Beach House is composed of a simple cantilevered timber form that appears to float over the recessed mass below. MacKay Curtis proposes a crisp interpretation of the traditional coastal holiday home through integrating a modern form into landscape at ground level and connecting to distant views on the upper floor.

Possessing an effortless flow between inside and out, Mawhitipana Beach House connects visually and on foot to the terrain it seamlessly navigates. Located on Waiheke Island, near Auckland, the holiday home needed to both capture a sense of place and have a minimal impact on the surrounding environment. Wanting to immerse themselves amid the rare and opportune site, the owners regularly traverse a series of steps to enter – interacting with the natural bush and coastal vegetation in the process. MacKay Curtis orchestrates a play on form and scale through creating seemingly thin supporting structural elements to hold up the larger mass of the upper floor.

The ease at which each of the elements responds to the existing conditions and the overall simplification of such a crisp and contained form is a statement in itself – of how the owners wanted the home to feel.

The burrowing of the structure into the site allows the sides to become surrounded by towering pōhutukawa trees. With movable elements that allow the façade to open, the timber-encased form can be split open to reveal the contents of the residence, bringing in air, ventilation and the surrounding visual delights. The ease at which each of the elements responds to the existing conditions and the overall simplification of such a crisp and contained form is a statement in itself – of how the owners wanted the home to feel.

Featuring both enclosed and open terrace areas that extend the liveable footprint beyond the outer walls, the experience of the home is one of disconnection from the urban world. The upper level is covered by lush, green canopies that sit above, which shade and cool the form throughout the day. To optimise functionality whilst maintaining an overall humble footprint, Mackay Curtis divided the required floor area into two distinct and equal levels based on use. The ground floor, surrounded by glass on all sides, hosts the kitchen, living and dining area, with the bedrooms and private areas above. Outside, a freestanding concrete fireplace becomes an inviting spot for evening gatherings under the stars.

With movable elements that allow the façade to open and bring the outside in, shutters allow the encasing timber form can be split open to reveal the contents of the floating box.

Celebrating place and disconnection from our busy world, Mawhitipana Beach House blends the built with the natural with ease and deliberation. Bringing a refinement to coastal living, MacKay Curtis ensures a balancing of function and connection.