This Seaside Shack in New Zealand Mimics a Seagull’s Wings

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Project Details:

Location: Eastbourne, Wellington

Architect: Conor Dolman

Builder: Dorset Construction

Structural Engineer: Meyer Cruden

From the Architect: "Jonathan Livingston Seagull is an open-plan studio that hovers out over a hilly site in Eastbourne, Wellington. The site is on the edge of the green belt and is bordered by dense vegetation. Around the hillside, there is a sparse scattering of huts in hard-to-reach places. These were the buildings that felt the most appropriate in the context and I wanted to do something that responded to the scale and character of these huts. The studio is cloaked in a jacket of silvered Abodo timber which we wanted to use due to the color of the resin coating and the rough finish of the cladding. The knotted and harsh surface of the timber gives it an unpolished quality and felt in keeping with the concept of creating a backcountry hut. The building's folded roof, along with the silver tone of the cladding, has been designed to create the impression of a seagull wing. Sitting above the ocean, the site looks toward seagulls and sailing boats in the harbor. 

"Jonathan Livingston seagull was my favorite book growing up so I thought it would make a fitting name for the building. From the interior, the folded roof forms a sharp line in the ceiling that crosses the space diagonally from corner to corner. A raised plinth has been used on the west side of the studio to separate the sleeping area from the living area. The change in level creates a separation between the two zones while still allowing the space to feel open and allow the views over the Wellington harbor to be maximized. The plinth is positioned to give the bed an unobstructed view towards Matiu/Somes Island which sits in the middle of the harbor. Plywood linings have been used throughout the interior to make the space feel comfortable and familiar. The warmth of the interior contrasts with the external timber cladding which was chosen to complement the harshness of the site and the natural qualities of the surrounding vegetation."