Studio 19 Bach Onemana, Coromandel
CONTEXT & DESIGN
This small project is unique in many ways, including the project
team consisting of Dave Strachan in conjunction with 16 third year
architecture students, John Cocks and Marshall Cook. This team not
only design the Onemana bach, they built it.
Located in the coastal town of Onemana this small project is
more than meets the eye. Whilst it was small in both budget and
footprint, clever thinking and innovative solutions have produced a
bach which ticks all the boxes; the clients "couldn't be happier."
They did not want a large, elaborate beach house, nor would their
budget allow; they wanted a well designed, compact, stylish yet
simple easy care place to go with their two girls.
With a total footprint of only 100m2 (75m2 interior + 25m2
decks) Onemana bach offers a master bedroom with private deck,
bunkroom, bathroom/ laundry with both interior and exteriro access,
kitchen, living, dining with decks to both the East and West and
built in furniture and storage throughout.
A number of design decisions have elevated a simple
building to a project which is full of interest and rich in
character; a key move is the timber slatted breezeway which
penetrates the high performance thermal envelope, running
NorthEast-SouthWest, this assists the natural cross ventilation and
highlights the play of light with the late afternoon sun filtering
through the trees and timber slatting.
The building also includes a take on traditional board and
batten, offering rhythm and relief; a double floor step work with
the natural contours of the site and the monopitch roof which wraps
the building to the South; the NorthEastern corner hovers above the
slope with large timber doors peeling back to open the corner; and
the material palette is locally sourced, boasting timber throughout
including decking inside and out, slatted ceilings and privacy
screens and plywood on both walls and ceilings.
NZIA LOCAL AWARD WINNER 2011
-Small Project Architecture
"Adventurous clients have benefitted from a programme set
up to teach Unitec architecture students practical skills. Student
teams designed and built the elegant, two-bedroom bach on campus,
and then assembled it on the site for which it was intended. A
success in itself, the project has also provided the participating
students with a valuable introduction to New Zealand's timber
design and construction tradition." Jury Citation