Home New Zealand June - July 2023

Quiet warmth In this issue we visit six very different houses, each with its own approach to achieving a quietness – both in the sense of calm, and often joy, from inhabiting these spaces – and in terms of how they sit within the landscapes they occupy. On the edge of Wellington Harbour we visit a home, which from the street is intriguing; light and rhythmic in tone. The seamless exterior flows into internal spaces that appeal to the senses, from the scent of the macrocarpa to the way the light falls delicately onto surfaces. There's a sense of stillness in these rooms that embrace the coastal breezes and the salty air. In Northland, a similar approach was taken in a home designed as a family retreat; a place that…

Kelsie Barley Photographer You're an architectural, interiors and travel photographer. What is it you love about each of these disciplines, and how do they intersect? Early on in life, I discovered a love for architecture, driven by a strange emotional connection to buildings and the spaces within. Each country and culture tells its own story through design and I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to explore some of the most dramatic architecture Asia has to offer. No matter the subject, the precision required to produce outstanding images remains the same. Working closely with Rarebirds Interiors, you've had the chance to photograph a number of diverse kitchens (three featured in this issue). What stands out to you about their work/style? Rarebirds always take inspiration from the space, bringing finesse…

Starry nights In celebration of Matariki, Homestead Galleries is holding a group exhibition featuring artworks by Māori artists; each showcasing works that speak to ngā whetu (the stars), Puanga and the Matariki cluster. Kōrero tuku iho (traditions, oral tradition, stories of the past) passed down will differ between iwi and whānau. While some iwi herald the new year with the Matariki star cluster – whether that be nine stars or seven stars (as per Tainui star lore) – other iwi are unable to see Matariki from their rohe (region) and celebrate a star named Puanga instead. Through the group's distinctive methods of storytelling and their own personal perspectives, ‘Ngā Whetu’ offers a rich view into the significance of these stars, as they pertain to the people of Aotearoa, across a…

Bawa's Garden United Kingdom, Sri Lanka Director: Clara Kraft Isono Shot on location in Sri Lanka with a small crew on a small budget, Bawa's Garden follows its protagonist who is scouring the island for the ‘lost’ garden of Lunuganga. Finding the treasure might be the goal, yet her search is the catalyst for encounters with a series of characters and rarely visited buildings that reveal the story of architect Geoffrey Bawa's life and work. This experimental documentary weaves dreamlike narratives with real-life characters intrinsic to the output of the renowned 20th-century architect, Bawa's Garden beautifully depicts the eclectic and quietly moving work of Bawa's buildings and gardens and the collaborators who influenced his oeuvre. Find out more at rialto.co.nz Light Without Sun Denmark Directors: Clara Kraft Isono, Marie Ramsing,…

DESIGN Taking cues from the lines of a tent, this holiday home in Coromandel weaves nautical references and a retro aesthetic with dashes of circularity and a pronounced verticality to striking impact. Sited on the edge of a dunescape and below the distinctive spine of the Coromandel Range, the setting is instantly recognisable as the New Zealand coastline. Here, the brief was for a family bach that wouldn't be ostentatious. It needed to deliver a range of spaces for different aged family members and function as a year-round beach house — a place to enjoy cosy winters and long summer days. Nestled into the edge of the dunes and below the native bush-covered hills, the tones of the coastal setting move between the sandy hues of the grass-covered dunes; the…

DESIGN In frame Hamish Melville is an Auckland-based artist whose work spans the fields of landscape and architecture photography. For Flamish, the essence of his craft and inspiration to frame the world around him lies in the ever-changing light, patterns and colour nature offers. Drawing on those elements of the environment, Flamish places buildings within them, aiming to articulate how light or colour interacts with a structure, and how the environment in turn influences the building. Modernism is always a drawcard for Flamish, along with the art of the Impressionist movement, and the grainy softness of analogue photography. “Capturing landscapes, I typically like to break down a scene into its various elements of shape and colour and light, making it more abstract and two-dimensional and finding an area of the…