REMOTE ARCHITECTURE

We are fortunate to live in a country where it is very easy to ‘get away’ into the natural environment: the coast, the plains, the bush, the high country. 

Leaving the city to connect with nature can be good for our physical and mental health and is something most of us enjoy. 

If our getaway is for more than a day trip, then we need somewhere to stay. While this could be a tent or a caravan, if it is somewhere more permanent, then we need buildings. How can the design of remotely located buildings make our experience more meaningful? 

Successful architecture in the natural environment allows us to appreciate the place in an authentic way that responds to the specific location. 

Buildings can blend in or stand out, anchor into the land or touch it lightly. The main thing is that they are appropriate and respectful of their particular place. 

One example of buildings doing this well is at Annandale in Pigeon Bay on Banks Peninsula, where the owners have developed a number of accommodation options that allow a remote and memorable stay. 

The original Shepherd’s Cottage sits simply in its farm environment. It has been converted into an unassuming yet comfortable accommodation building perfectly positioned for its target market of couples seeking a quiet retreat. 

Remoteness is the central theme of Seascape, another accommodation offering on Banks Peninsula. But Seascape is of contemporary design and is set in its own bay accessed by a 40-minute four-wheel-drive journey or short helicopter flight from Christchurch. It is an authentic luxury experience, designed for guests to feel as if they are the only people in the world.