The Double Courtyard House is set within a dynamic coastal dune system shaped by wind and sea and more recently, by human occupation and intervention. Acknowledging the elemental and altered qualities of the dramatic Te Arai coastline, the house emerges from the site as two rammed earth pavilions – offset in plan and section to reconcile sun path and sea view. The distinct atmospheres of the courtyards within each pavilion generates a house both sheltered from and continuous with the broader coastal environment, a reflection of landscape understood as both natural and constructed.

On approach, the silhouette of the house appears at once taut and deceptively simple. The intersecting pavilions combine hip and flat roof forms, hinting at the contrasting qualities contained within. This subtle play of opposites is resolved through considered detailing where the pavilions interface: thick roof meets thin, and solid wall becomes operable. That precision is gently undone by the controlled abrasion of key materials – revealing qualities beyond an otherwise pristinely finish: the loose ramming of earth, the sandblasting of concrete and bead-blasting of steel combine to create a house that is both composed and relaxed.

Photography: Samuel Hartnett