MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS

Set at the edge of the Marlborough Sounds foreshore at Moetapu Bay, this project works quietly within one of New Zealand's most untouched coastal environments. The site is steep, densely planted, and defined by the immediate proximity of both water and reserve — a context that places strict demands on how any addition must sit, not just visually but ecologically.

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The concept proposes a new master suite cabin addition to an existing main dwelling of 81m², bringing the total floor area to just under 117m² — a deliberately modest footprint that reads at 1.8% site coverage on a 6,478m² section. The new studio volume is conceived as a self-contained retreat, complete with bedroom, en-suite, and robe, linked to the existing cabin while maintaining its own sense of privacy and separation. A generously sized private deck with hot tub and optional outdoor shower extends the living area toward the landscape, while outdoor dining and living spaces are positioned to maximise solar gain through careful orientation analysis of both winter and summer sun trajectories.

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Materially, the response to this environment is dark and textured — vertical timber battened cladding, expressed structure, and a pergola form that filters light while anchoring the addition to its site. Deep eaves and a restrained palette ensure the new volume reads as an extension of its natural surroundings rather than an imposition upon them. The result is a thoughtful coastal sanctuary that amplifies what the Sounds already offers: seclusion, connection to water, and quiet.