Location: Omaha, New Zealand.

Architect: Atelier Aitken Architecture.

The design of this 5 bedroom family home in Omaha, New Zealand is inspired by the original gable formed timber boat sheds. The exterior is a carefully detailed black timber screen that allows for privacy while playing with natural light on the interior faces. The interior is divided into sleeping quarters to the East and living quarters to the West, with a two storey timber bookshelf in between. The palette of white solid surfaces and natural oak creates a sense of lightness and warmth, while black details bring the exterior façade to the interior. At night, the house disappears into the dark, with columns of light escaping from the interior to light up the surroundings. The design achieves a sense of domesticity while still being sleek and sharp, as desired by the client.