red architecture designs coastal surfers house in new zealand

named ‘crow’s nest’, this holiday home in coastal new zealand by red architecture is an exploration and lies in the genre of building designed to fulfill a specific singular purpose for the occupant.

all images © larnie nicolson

the seaside dwelling is designed as a surfers house. red architecture interweaved design ideas including the the ability to assess the waves from an elevated position, provide spaces to reside when not surfing and the feature to relocate the structure to allow possibilities for a more substantial future development on the site.

the project was imagined as a space that would celebrate the surrounding landscape, surfing, while simultaneously providing basic shelter and amenities. a lookout platform was installed which references a ship’s ‘crow’s nest’ (the basket up the mast from which a sailor gets a vantage point to view the horizon). the result sees a timber foundation created with two pavilions set above. the rooftop deck and balustrade screen, is designed to be unbolted and dismantled in the event of a dwelling relocation.

the dwelling has been developed as a surfer’s getaway

the shipping container-like cladding is a steel sheet cladding that is robust enough to cope with movement. meanwhile, the basic interior of the pavilions serve simply as either a place for socializing post-surf or sleeping. a palette of light colors and raw textures was employed to reference the natural landscape of sand, sea and foam. windows and doors frame the landscape from within and further connect the dwelling with its natural surroundings, complimenting a space that has been designed with the idea of getting back to basics.

the lookout platform was influenced by the ‘crow’s nest’ of a ship