This family house capitalizes on stunning views of the Southern Alps and lake, designed by Condon Scott Architects to provide a warm and sheltered living place from the weather. Lake Hawea House is twenty minutes’ drive from Wanaka, located on the shores of Lake Hawea. The used materials and the design are combined to create connections to the surrounding landscape of the house.
Design
The height and width of this house are limited by planning restrictions. The often strong winds on the site from the lake also need to be considered when establishing the house shape. This house is also arranged in an ‘H’ configuration and the building’s bulk can protect this house from the wind, creating a series of courtyards and terraces.
Structure
An understated palette of cedar, local stone, and steel is used for the exterior and the interior of this house, forming awesome connections between the house and its awesome landscape. This is also strengthened by a pair of heavy schist walls. These walls flank the house living spaces and contain a fireplace, shelving, and seating.
This pair of heavy schist walls are also oriented to the stunning view and create a pair of organizing axis that run through the entire house. Early settler’s cottages that are common to the surrounding area are echoed by these walls, establishing a sense of history in the new building’s fabric.
Lake Hawea House Gallery
Photographer: Simon Larkin Photography