Hill To Horizon

On an idyllic bay 20km north of Whitianga in the Coromandel Peninsula, Otama Beach is a secluded coastal setting overlooking the Mercury Islands. Perched above the shoreline, Hill to Horizon House was designed by Lloyd Hartley Architects in collaboration with Studio Brick Architects for Marty Brick and Nancy van der Laan.

Created as a holiday home for a blended family, thehi brief sought to balance privacy and connection while maintaining a relaxed bach atmosphere with touches of luxury. Positioned between a retired paddock and the coastline, the home embraces both rural and coastal influences, using carefully considered spaces and sheltered retreats to create a comfortable, adaptable environment for family living and entertaining.

Challenge

The home's exposed coastal location required a design that could respond to both the surrounding landscape and the demands of a seaside environment. The architects wanted the building to feel sympathetic to its setting, balancing a strong architectural presence with a material palette that would sit comfortably within the coastline and rolling rural landscape.

Vertical cedar was selected as a defining exterior material, making the choice of timber finish particularly important. The finish needed to protect and nourish the timber while allowing it to maintain a natural appearance and age gracefully over time. Achieving a soft, weathered aesthetic that complemented the landscape rather than competing with it was a key objective.

Solution

The upper storey was clad in vertical cedar, creating a striking architectural form that changes with the light and lends a subtle presence to the exterior. The cedar cladding forms the primary impression of the home and helps achieve a balance between the relaxed character of a beach house and a refined architectural expression.

To achieve this vision, the cedar was finished with Dryden WoodOil Slate. The architects were drawn to Dryden's penetrating oil technology and its protective and nourishing qualities for timber. The Slate tone was deliberately selected to encourage the timber towards the soft silver-grey appearance it would naturally weather to over time. As Ben Lloyd noted, Dryden WoodOil Slate provides "a protective finish in a soft natural tone", helping buildings remain sympathetic and complementary to the surrounding landscape.

The finish enhances the natural variation within the cedar boards while augmenting the timber's natural ageing and silvering process. The result is a driftwood-like appearance that sits comfortably within the coastal environment and reinforces the home's connection to place.

Outcomes

Hill to Horizon House successfully balances retreat and openness, intimacy and expanse, creating a home that is both restful and lively. The carefully considered cedar cladding gives the building a subtle and evolving character, with the Dryden WoodOil Slate finish enhancing the natural grain and texture of the timber while contributing to the home's weathered coastal aesthetic.

The specification has proven particularly successful in helping the home blend seamlessly into its surroundings, achieving the architects' goal of creating a building that feels connected to both the coastline and countryside. Recognised as HOME Magazine Rural Home of the Year 2021, Hill to Horizon demonstrates how thoughtful architectural design and a carefully selected timber finish can work together to create a timeless coastal retreat with a strong sense of place.