Vaughn Mcquarrie Ltd.

Palm Beach House

Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt
Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt

PALM BEACH HOUSE

Vaughn McQuarrie

PHOTOGRAPHS
Simon Devitt

AREA
100.0 sqm

YEAR
2011

LOCATION
Auckland, New Zealand

CATEGORY
Houses

Text description provided by architect.

The house is located on a reasonably steep bush covered site a few hundred meters up a valley from the golden sands of Palm Beach Waiheke Island.

Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt
Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt

Sitting under a large pohutukawa tree the house negotiates the site with a series of suspended internal and external spaces connected by external bridges and stairs. 

The owners of this home have to step outside in order to circulate from room to room. Due to difficult access and the wish to minimize waste, the design was based around factory sheet sizes which could be carried by hand and directly fixed in place without the need for cutting.

Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt
Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt

Glue laminated timber was used extensively in the framing, once again carried in by hand and pieced together on site.

A draw bridge allows the house to disengage itself from the ground, giving the occupants a sense of privacy and the feeling of being on a platform up in the trees.

Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt


Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt
Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt
Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt
Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt
Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt
Palm Beach House
© Simon Devitt


Palm Beach House
Floor Plan


Palm Beach House
South Elevation

Vaughn Mcquarrie Ltd.
T +64 2102373026
Vaughn Mcquarrie Ltd.
Po Box 156 Oneroa Waiheke Island Auckland, New Zealand