Houzz Tour: A Home Nestled in New Zealand’s Coastal Hills
A couple build a modern family home influenced by their Sri Lankan heritage and their stunning new surroundings
Perched up in the heavily forrested hills of Wellington, New Zealand, surrounded by native bushland, is the Korokoro House. This beautiful modern home, with striking facades and stunning views from every angle, was designed by architect Liz Wallace of Tse:Wallace Architects. The project was completed early this year, and was custom-designed for a Sri Lankan couple who were keen to bring the style of their favorite architect, Geoffrey Bawa, to New Zealand. Wallace achieved a Bawa-influenced design with a modern edge, creating a home with large open-plan living spaces and multiple outdoor areas built to suit the family’s lifestyle and their heritage, while complementing the natural landscape.
The site is on a steep slope, which was one of the main challenges Wallace faced with the design. She decided to use an L-shape structure, spread out over several levels to make the most of the surrounding views and optimize the home’s exposure to sunlight. One private section of the house faces north into the gorge, and this is where the bedrooms are located. The south-facing public wing looks out over Wellington Harbor and the Cook Straits. This design also makes the best use of the block.
Wellington is notoriously windy, and as the property sits on a slope, it can be hit hard by strong gusts. As the family like to spend time outdoors, it was important for the architect to provide them with less exposed outdoor areas. “With four distinct outdoor living areas, there’s always somewhere you can go, depending on where the wind’s blowing from,” Wallace says.
At the lower level, you are greeted by a staircase and a double-height built-in cabinet, which functions as an office hub at the lower level and a display cabinet higher up. The main living areas and master bedroom are upstairs, while the two children’s bedrooms, activity room and utility spaces are downstairs.
Wellington is notoriously windy, and as the property sits on a slope, it can be hit hard by strong gusts. As the family like to spend time outdoors, it was important for the architect to provide them with less exposed outdoor areas. “With four distinct outdoor living areas, there’s always somewhere you can go, depending on where the wind’s blowing from,” Wallace says.
At the lower level, you are greeted by a staircase and a double-height built-in cabinet, which functions as an office hub at the lower level and a display cabinet higher up. The main living areas and master bedroom are upstairs, while the two children’s bedrooms, activity room and utility spaces are downstairs.
The building was designed to respond to its surroundings, and this includes the way in which the roof slopes. Wallace used this angle to compensate for glare from the sun, as it blocks out overly bright light at certain times of the day.
The living area in the public wing is where the family spend most of their time. It is made from hoop pine plywood, which adds warmth to the large space. The kitchen cabinets and flooring are bamboo, bringing a tropical element to the design and adding layers of texture.
“Asantha is the main chef of the house and is very passionate about cooking, so was quite specific about the layout of the kitchen,” Wallace says. To keep the cook happy, up-to-date appliances were installed in the kitchen. The U-shaped design provides Asantha with a clear view of the kids as they play in the living area, yet allows the rooms to remain separate. This was an important part of the architectural brief.
Beat pendant lights: Tom Dixon
The living area in the public wing is where the family spend most of their time. It is made from hoop pine plywood, which adds warmth to the large space. The kitchen cabinets and flooring are bamboo, bringing a tropical element to the design and adding layers of texture.
“Asantha is the main chef of the house and is very passionate about cooking, so was quite specific about the layout of the kitchen,” Wallace says. To keep the cook happy, up-to-date appliances were installed in the kitchen. The U-shaped design provides Asantha with a clear view of the kids as they play in the living area, yet allows the rooms to remain separate. This was an important part of the architectural brief.
Beat pendant lights: Tom Dixon
The expansive windows that surround the living area offer stunning views of the harbor, while the wraparound balcony gives the family the chance to enjoy the scenery in the open air. This room also features a built-in fireplace and a media unit that houses the TV and stereo.
The open-plan living area also receives generous amounts of sunlight through the large windows. A window seat is positioned to take in the surrounding views and features cleverly concealed storage drawers.
Dining table: Vast; chairs: Yamakawa Rattan
Dining table: Vast; chairs: Yamakawa Rattan
While some items are stashed away, the couple have also made sure their home displays their treasured possessions. The open bamboo cabinet seen here is where Asantha and Minon keep their best crockery, glassware and decorative accents.
“Generally with the homes I work with, everything is hidden away behind doors, so it was refreshing to have clients who wanted things to be out in the open,” the architect says. “It adds another layer of decor to the room and is part of their heritage.”
“Generally with the homes I work with, everything is hidden away behind doors, so it was refreshing to have clients who wanted things to be out in the open,” the architect says. “It adds another layer of decor to the room and is part of their heritage.”
On the other side of the dining area Wallace had a balustrade built in. The structure doubles as a display cabinet where the couple can show off other items. High windows were inserted up the back wall to let in even more light, allowing the polished glass shelves to shine.
The gallery that runs along the length of the house provides even more space for the family to display treasures, including artworks and books.
“These ceilings are lower,” Wallace says, “which creates a more intimate setting.” This sense of intimacy makes the space seem more personal, suiting the sentimentality of the family’s collections.
“These ceilings are lower,” Wallace says, “which creates a more intimate setting.” This sense of intimacy makes the space seem more personal, suiting the sentimentality of the family’s collections.
The main bathroom lies just off the gallery corridor and showcases a view of the gorge. The egg-shaped tub and wall-mounted toilet give the room a sophisticated, contemporary feel, while an expansive window invites the beauty of the natural environment into the otherwise simple space. This is a lovely place for members of the family to kick back, relax and take in their spectacular surroundings.
In the master bedroom, a glass wall overlooks the gorge, offering more inspiring views. Heavy blinds and curtains help to block out unwanted light, and the roof slopes in the same direction as the land, giving the room even more protection. “With all that glass, it still feels private,” Wallace says, “which is the benefit of tucking the bedroom wing around the more private side of the hill.”
This room has a private entrance to a large terrace that boasts a spa, along with a well-tended vegetable patch. This outdoor area is also accessible from the gallery corridor, so the children and guests can enjoy the space as well.
Scrap Light: Graypants
This room has a private entrance to a large terrace that boasts a spa, along with a well-tended vegetable patch. This outdoor area is also accessible from the gallery corridor, so the children and guests can enjoy the space as well.
Scrap Light: Graypants
This contemporary home with a distinct Sri Lankan edge is everything the homeowners wanted, helping them to stay connected to their roots while also allowing them to enjoy the best things that New Zealand has to offer.
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Who lives here: Asantha and Minon Wijeyeratne and their children, Chivan, 5, and Avanka, 6 months
Where: Korokoro Gorge, Wellington, New Zealand
Size: 2,950 square feet (274 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Architect: Liz Wallace of Tse:Wallace Architects
Geoffrey Bawa is one of Sri Lanka’s most renowned architects and is known for developing the “tropical modernism” architectural design style. The couple wanted to translate this style in their new home. “There was immediately a richness in their brief because of this cultural heritage,” Wallace says. “It was a chance to get away from the white-everywhere projects and incorporate more texture into a design.”
The architect incorporated several key features of Bawa’s style into this project, including high ceilings and exposed beams, which are integral to the home, as well as several outdoor courtyard areas.