Wanaka, New Zealand

Set on the northern edge of Wanaka, this McLaren Architecture project is arranged as a series of gabled forms that balance exposure and shelter, breaking down into smaller parts to sit comfortably within both the landscape and its suburban setting.

A restrained palette of timber and pale brick reinforces this approach, while internally the plan shifts between compression and openness: living spaces drawn toward light and outlook, private rooms held to the edges. Covered outdoor areas extend this further, sitting somewhere between inside and out as the primary interface with the landscape.

The aim was not to overstate the architecture, but to allow the house to settle into its setting and support a quieter, more enduring way of living.