Under Pohutukawa House by Herbst Architects
Life's a Beach in the Forest
Should one live by the sea or in the forest? The owners of this house in New Zealand are fortunate enough to enjoy the best of both worlds, living by the beach in a strip of forest with mature Pohutukawa trees. Their house is designed by Herbst Architects to blend into this idyllic location and to open up the internal living spaces to the glorious nature outside.
The house is built almost entirely of dark wood and glass. The vast glass roof of the verandah is supported by tree-like structures made of wood and steel, echoing the forest outside. The glass walls at the front of the house slide open entirely, bringing nature into the living room inside. The bedrooms and garage are housed in a less exposed structure clad in rough hewn planks of wood, again reflecting the forest location.
This is a house where you can truly live in harmony with nature: relaxing in the living area with sunlight filtering in through the branches, the warmth of the timber floor against your bare feet with sounds of cicadas competing against the distant crashing waves. Country living surely doesn't get any better than this.
Links
http://herbstarchitects.co.nz/projects/under-pohutukawa
Shop the Style
Product Inspiration
Leather and fabrics look great with wood, just look at the simple yet inviting Koila armchair from Alki and the stylishly sculptural Mathilda chair from Moroso.
Large spaces with high ceilings call for a simple, sculptural pendant such as the Agatha from LZF or the Lampscapes from Frederik Roije.
Bring the nature inside with interesting shelving and storage solutions such as the forest-like Longlegs shelves and the cork-topped Treasure Table, both by Frederik Roije.
Also in Architecture
Softie by OPA Architects
How do you square the circle of practical, rectangular spaces with emotive, curvy designs? San Francisco based OPA Architects shows what's possible with the interior refurbishment of a modern house in Mill Valley, California.
Curvaceous Creations by Partisans Architects
Curves - they are organic, playful, comforting and sensual - what's not to like? The architects at Toronto-based Partisans certainly agree, and they are masters at applying curves in their projects.
Woodnest Treehouse by Helen & Hard
The Woodnest treehouse was born from a dream. When Norwegian native Kjartan wanted to marry Sally, who hails from Australia, he decided to show his dedication by building a treehouse in which to propose to her.