{"id":279623,"date":"2025-07-21T09:38:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T09:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/279623\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T09:38:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T09:38:14","slug":"olson-kundig-frames-new-zealand-coast-with-modern-beach-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/279623\/","title":{"rendered":"olson kundig frames new zealand coast with modern beach house"},"content":{"rendered":"

a home emerges from the dunes<\/p>\n

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Te Whare Tupu Kirikiri, a coastal residence by Olson Kundig<\/strong><\/a>, has been completed on New Zealand<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s North Island. Sited among the dunes and Pohutukawa trees of Mangawhai, the project reinterprets the modest architectural language of the bach, a style of beach house typical to the area.<\/p>\n

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Approached by a winding drive through shifting sands and native vegetation, the house gradually appears as a quiet extension of its landscape. Its low-slung form and concrete exterior echo the grain and tone of the surrounding terrain. A curving roof anchors the composition, casting controlled light and sheltering the structure from the high-exposure coastal environment.<\/p>\n

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\u2018One of my favorite parts of this project is the roof design,\u2019 says Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, Design Principal.<\/strong> \u2018We developed what we called \u2018the surfboard\u2019 \u2014 a roof structure that curves both above and below. This unique shape not only channels water efficiently but also shapes how light enters the space below.\u2019<\/p>\n

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images \u00a9 Simon Devitt<\/a><\/p>\n

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olson kundig\u2019s composition of shelter and exposure<\/p>\n

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The architects<\/strong><\/a> at Olson Kundig hide Te Whare Tupu Kirikiri among New Zealand\u2019s coastal landscape so that it might unfold gradually upon approach. A steel gate leads to a central courtyard framed by three earthen wings and a floating roof plane, which blurs at its edges into the sky. The surface of the roof reflects light from the adjacent pool and ocean beyond, softening the threshold between structure and landscape. Guillotine glazing and sliding walls connect the courtyard to the open-plan living areas and exterior deck, creating continuity between interior and exterior zones.<\/p>\n

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\u2018One of the most compelling parts of this home is how the experience unfolds through the courtyard,\u2019 Kundig elaborates.<\/strong> \u2018As you enter, the architecture opens up, guiding you through the courtyard to the shoreline. The structure seems to dissolve into the horizon, blurring the line between interior and exterior.\u2019<\/p>\n

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The architect continues: <\/strong>\u2018New Zealand has such a high-exposure, coastal environment. We created a refined shutter system that transforms the space with a simple gesture and responds dynamically to that environment. It opens and closes to protect the interior from harsh winds while allowing it to fully open to the shoreline in calm conditions.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Te Whare Tupu Kirikiri is a coastal home designed by Olson Kundig on New Zealand\u2019s North Island<\/p>\n

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Material Palette and Landscape Integration<\/p>\n

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Inside the New Zealand beach house, Olson Kundig introduces a restrained material palette of concrete, teak, and stone, bringing together regional textures with careful detailing. Teak-paneled ceilings and custom cabinetry carry a weathered quality, resembling sun-bleached driftwood. Bedrooms are oriented for privacy and views, each with a path leading directly to the nearby wetlands and beach.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Architecture is experiential \u2014 it\u2019s something that must be felt physically, not just seen,\u2019 says Kundig.<\/strong> \u2018As you move through Te Whare Tupu Kirikiri, it seems to float and open up, creating a connection to the landscape. The way the architecture engages with both the protected courtyard and the distant horizon is something you have to experience to fully understand.\u2019<\/p>\n

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a curving concrete roof with softened edges reflects light and channels water<\/p>\n

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the structure is embedded in dunes and framed by native Pohutukawa trees<\/p>\n

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a steel gate leads to a central courtyard framed by glass walls and earthen wings<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"a home emerges from the dunes \u00a0 Te Whare Tupu Kirikiri, a coastal residence by Olson Kundig, has…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":279624,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3939],"tags":[105326,4021,4020,4022,77,105327,17022,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-279623","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-architecture-in-new-zealand","9":"tag-arts","10":"tag-arts-and-design","11":"tag-design","12":"tag-entertainment","13":"tag-olson-kundig-architects","14":"tag-residential-architecture-and-interiors","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114890559739927910","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=279623"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279623\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/279624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=279623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=279623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=279623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}