Castle Rock New Zealand

Set a coastal cliff in northern New Zealand, this organic contemporary home provides panoramic ocean views to its inhabitants. The Castle Rock House by Herbst Architects engages the locality in both material and inspiration. Inspired by its environment in both form and material the cliff-slide plot descends into the sea and its architectural volumes follow this slope. The homes materials are sourced from the local environment, where both natural wood and broken stone compose its appearance. It cannot be removed from its environmental context, as this home is designed to be an extension of the land itself.

Designed as a series of enclosed forms that come together with outdoor hallways and patios the upper enclosed section features bedrooms linking to an outdoor walkway with steps down to a lounge space and a patio. Further along, another section houses a kitchen that opens into a pair of patios on either side responding to the subtropical climate of northern New Zealand.

photography: patrick reynolds