The Tutukaka House was designed by Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects as a refuge for a busy family to use when they wanted to get out of the city. Located about 2 1/2 hours outside of Aukland on the northwest coats of the Northland island, the vacation home sits in a peaceful landscape with views of the ocean. Organized around a central east/west oriented spine, the program areas were designed to take in specific views. An open plan living area merges with the kitchen and dining, flowing out onto a generous northern open deck. The space also hosts a sheltered bbq and firepit deck to the northwest. Off the southeast side are three smaller bedrooms, a bath, and a master suite.
The home is almost exclusively made from timber, with stained cedar shiplap cladding and hoop pine plywood wall and ceiling linings. The exterior is made from regionally-sourced saligna and kwila for the flooring. The most prominent feature of the home though are the moveable shutters, which open and close to let in more or less daylight. Shutters in the public areas open up like an accordion to expand into the outdoors. Then shutters in the bedrooms are raised to let in light and control the temperature. A translucent screen on the north side along the spine fills the space with a filtered light. When no one is around, the shutters are all closed down, which protects the home from weather and vandalism. The Tutukaka House was awarded the NZIA Award for Residential Architecture 2012.
Images ©Simon Devitt
