Outward Connection – Panorama by Edwards White

Perched on a small peninsula overlooking Maramaratotara and Mercury Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand, Panorama captures the spirit of refined coastal living, outwardly connecting to its stunning natural surroundings. Edwards White Architects explores the delicate relationship between nature and architecture, carefully weaving the formal response to the site by burrowing it into the terrain with both above-ground and submerged gestures.

Looking out to the expansive views of the Mercury Islands to the north and the beach stretching out to the east, true to its name, Panorama is the ideal outpost from which to experience nature. “The unique site, with its naturally beautiful setting, required a bespoke approach to the built forms,” describes Daniel Smith, Director of Edwards White Architects. “The narrow triangular clearance in vegetation provided the framework for our building platforms, and as the site slopes towards the north, the opportunity arose to erode the built form and stretch down into the landscape.” The resulting proposal traverses both the architecture and the enviable landscape, and although situated above mature pohutukawa trees and sandstone cliffs, feels like a seamless integration with the natural surrounds whilst still also pushing the limits of the site’s potential.

Defined as two dwellings, the main home and the ‘bunker’, which connect by way of a 30-metre underground tunnel, a sense of journey and discovery is inherent to the circulation between zones.

Defined as two dwellings, the main home and the ‘bunker’, which connect by way of a 30-metre underground tunnel, a sense of journey and discovery is inherent to the circulation between zones. Inspired by a recent trip to Israel, the connecting underground tunnel combines the idea of the unexpected with a sense of adventure. The tension between the scale of areas and a play on compression and release in the tunnel gives the plan rigour and adds to the experience of travelling through the home, redefining the passage of movement through a residential building.

In response to the changing demands of multigenerational living, the brief called for opportunities for both retreat and gathering, and the dual forms allow for a sense of separation in function. “A separate ancillary dwelling was designed so that the clients could have their own quiet retreat when desired,” says Daniel, “with the original intent to have a bolthole hidden in the cliff edge with a cantilevered green roof that could land a helicopter.” As part of the process of feasibility and integration of the original concept, the idea evolved so “instead, a multipurpose landscaped green roof was adapted to provide an amazing vantage-point viewing platform.” With the building envelope constrained to a triangular area on the upper portion of the site, where an existing dwelling had previously sat, “on approach, one is pulled around the outer edges of the space, circulating across the expansive decks to enter casually, not dissimilar to the baches of yesteryear, curating views and apertures with the views slowly revealing themselves.”

A long-held love of stone as a material and the client’s admiration for the craft and beauty of stonemasonry are clearly expressed throughout the project, translated in various ways.

Above all, the focus remains on the panoramic views and natural beau-ty of the site, which informs not only the apertures and circulation but also its materiality. “Floating effortlessly above the tree canopy, a lightly weighted cedar box emphasises the abundance of panoramic views of Mercury Bay,” says Daniel, whilst a darker, negative layer at ground level allows for stirring views through the pohutukawa tree line. A long-held love of stone as a material and the client’s admiration for the craft and beauty of stonemasonry are clearly expressed throughout the project, translated in various ways. Anchoring the home to the site, the stone walls provide a sense of solidity and permanence, and a large stone slab in the tunnel, commissioned by the client as a tasting table, gestures to the encasing geology. Whilst Daniel describes the seed of inspiration as being conceptually derived from the stone material embedded in the cliff face, the home looks out and ultimately acknowledges its muse, the sandstone rock of Shakespeare Cliff immediately across the bay.

From its delicate integration with the landscape to the seamless connection between the built forms and the natural surroundings, Panorama showcases the power of architecture to enhance the human experience whilst preserving the inherent qualities of its environment. “Creating a cohesive communal family space for all to enjoy was ultimately key to the success of the project as an extension of its owners,” says Daniel, “embracing the natural beauty steeped within the site and the surroundings.