Like a Suitcase – Coromandel Bach by Crosson Architects

As a capture of the ebb and flow of the seasons and the removed siting of the structure, Coromandel Bach has been opening and closing to the elements for the past 21 years. The responsive and adaptive insertion in the landscape is the beach house that Ken Crosson, Founding Director of Crosson Architects, designed for his family and has been sharing with them ever since.

It is a truth almost universally acknowledged that a building should be representative of place, embodying a sense of history and any existing architectural language that came before and, in doing so, creating a connection that also works dynamically with the natural aspects. Having just celebrated its 21st birthday this year, the continuing legacy of Coromandel Bach is testament to the value of such considered and responsive design, where it is the suitability to the site rather than the grandeur of the scale or the luxury of the amenities that stands as the true marker of success.

As a holiday home, the design expresses an inherent need for robustness, allowing the absorption of the knocks from occasional visits and the absence of constant maintenance.

“It’s a humble place, of humble means,” says Ken. “It was always imagined as our holiday house for the family – and has become a piece of architectural glue that holds the family together.” In an elevated position in its namesake of Coromandel, to the east of Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand, the timber-clad and formally simplified home combines an elemental approach of shelter and protection from the natural surrounds, while reinforcing a sense of immersion. “Essentially it is a log cabin of sorts,” Ken adds. “It is also a place of contrasts – we refer to it sometimes as a ‘pineapple’ – crusted and worn on the outside due to the exposure of the site, and yet in the middle it is warm and softly layered – unexpected, in a way.” Similarly, there is a sense of balance in the form as it sits rigid and rectilinear amongst the natural and organically populated surrounding landscape.

As a holiday home, the design expresses an inherent need for robustness, allowing the absorption of the knocks from occasional visits and the absence of constant maintenance. It takes these qualities to another level with the use of operable decks that fold up and protect the house when not in use. “We wanted it to be ‘lock and leave’ to be able to keep the sun and the rain out,” Ken describes. “In a way, the home can be seen like a suitcase – when we are there, it is opened up and you live out of it, then when you leave, it is closed up until next time.” This tough resilience was considered as an integral part of the design from the beginning, guiding the materiality and spatial arrangement that followed.

The responsive and adaptive insertion in the landscape is the beach house that Ken Crosson, Founding Director of Crosson Architects, designed for his family and has been sharing with them ever since.

Having worked in London for many years prior to returning to New Zealand to start his own practice, Ken had always designed with brick and stone as the most appropriate materials that expressed a connection to that place. Conversely, “New Zealand is known for its crafted timber buildings,” he explains, “which really resonated with me that this was what Coromandel Bach needed to be built with.” The design, he says, picks up on the traditional trip-dam methodology of the area, where harvested timber was taken from high up in the valley and the rivers were dammed. The stacking and vertical nature of the resulting form becomes a conversation with that history, using locally sourced timber to complete the strong exoskeletal form.

In responding with a local focus, the materiality and form set the tone for the comprising elements that were needed to form the whole. “We referenced the traditional structures of the 1800s, reinterpreted in a modern and contemporary way,” says Ken, “reflecting how we live today.” Then, in understanding and honouring the coastal conditions – the harshness of the winds, erosion and solar effects – the way those materials interacted with the natural elements was always going to form part of the story of the home. “We haven’t done anything in 21 years,” he says. “It’s been left to weather through its exposure to the elements and patina of age over time.”

In responding with a local focus, the materiality and form set the tone for the comprising elements that were needed to form the whole.

In the arrangement with more passive and actively open areas separated along the narrow footprint, there exists a natural order that allows for flexibility based on who is staying. Spread over 130 square metres, the home houses two bunk rooms, two double bedrooms and a central ‘social hub’ with living and dining combined. “The home becomes similar to a yacht with onshore and offshore breezes, moored in place,” Ken says. “We wanted to take advantage of how exposed the site [is] and to create a series of experiences within the home – experiences you can’t have while in the city.” While the home sits naturally secluded, the privacy and sense of separation allows for a less predictable approach. “We wanted to challenge the conventions of bathing and showering,” he adds, “and positioned these elements outside, under the stars and sun – allowing you to be reminded of the natural and how special the site really is.”

This idea of honouring the site’s unique natural landscape drives the deliberate simplicity of the home, and this is arguably what has allowed it to remain enduringly relevant, both architecturally and personally. Running east and west, the length of the home opens generously to the north, allowing for increased cross-ventilation and comfortable solar capture throughout the seasons. The design embraces a shared respect for the site and allows the family to acknowledge how fortunate they are to have access to such a location. With easy beach access and endless coastal views out, the home is used in both summer and winter. “While the form opens in summer, in winter, we can open to the rear and create a protective outdoor deck,” says Ken, “where a fireplace adds warmth, while still allowing for views out – we describe this partial closing of elements as ‘trimming the house’.”

As a capture of the ebb and flow of the seasons and the removed siting of the structure, Coromandel Bach has been opening and closing to the elements for the past 21 years.

In its remoteness, Coromandel Bach more that fulfils a core duty that “brings people together”, as Ken describes, due to its adaptive and chameleon-esque qualities. With its ongoing relevance, the enduring nature of the materials, form and how it exists in such harmony with its surrounds, the building also captures history and a sense of place. Correspondingly, it is, above all, a lesson in longevity and legacy, expertly delivered.