Waiheke Island used to be a place for life-stylers. Or at least that’s what I have heard. Not hailing from these parts my knowledge of the island is recently gathered and mostly news-based. To me Waiheke is synonymous with rates hikes, big houses and the arrival of the very rich to snap up sumptuous sections.

This house, designed by Vaughn McQuarrie for clients that recently immigrated to New Zealand and had been living in an Auckland city apartment, adopts a less is more approach that I was not expecting.

The house sits tucked into the site. From the road shared by other inhabitants of the subdivision it has a very low profile with mostly the roofline – which follows the undulating forms of Motutapu, Motuihe and Rangitoto Islands – visible. The bedroom and bathroom, and the separate guest unit, fan out from under the wing of this oversailing roofline.

The client’s brief was for a small house that would occupy the large site modestly and respectfully. And what could be more modest in these times of in-home theaters and a bathroom per person than a one bedroom house (or two including the guest house)?

A small entry room opens onto the living quarters on the west side of the house. This area houses the kitchen, with some almost sculptural cabinetry designed by McQuarrie. It is open to the dining area and the stepped-down lounge.

From here two outdoor living spaces can be accessed – a small protected deck on the west and a larger deck on the north. The two wings that make up the plan wrap around this deck with access onto it possible from all the living spaces and the bedroom. Outdoor blinds on the outside edge of the west deck protect the living spaces from overheating and glare from the low western sun.

To the north of the entryway lies an open office area and the bedroom. A bathroom sits behind the bedroom on the east side. Like each of the rooms the bedroom has wonderful framed views of Rangitoto to the west and to the north a stand of native trees.

The guest wing room is completely separate from the house in a small building that also includes a kitchenette and bathroom. It is immediately next to the house and appears as part of it from some angles.

On this winter day it is warm, as is the house. It makes the most of an air to water heat pump, heavy insulation and use of thermal mass surfaces that soak up winter sun.

The colour palette of the house is drawn from the bank of Kanuka trees in the valley. Greys and putty-like browns are a reflection of the bark tones, and another part of the effort to make the house sit softly on the site.

The owners wanted a light space and this house has achieved that – both in the experience of light within and the sense that is sits carefully and thoughtfully on the land.

Click here to see more Houses Revisited. And sign up to our email newsletters to receive Houses Revisited straight to your inbox.

Note: These are stories from our archives and, since the time of writing, some details may have changed including names, personnel of specific firms, registration status, etc.