Forest retreat
West Vancouver, Canada. Designed by Splyce Design in 2014.
West Vancouver, Canada. The house is positioned high on the site to make the most of its views onto the ocean and forest, along with maximum sunlight.
Sandy Bay, Waiheke Island. Designed by Box Living in 2014. 180 degree views of the bay and Hauraki Gulf.
Sandy Bay, Waiheke. The home is part bach-like, part treehouse.
Avoca Beach, New South Wales. Architecture Saville Isaacs designed this home in 2014. The two-storeyed residence seems to disappear into the bush.
Avoca Beach, New South Wales. An organic palette of tactile materials takes its cues from its natural context.
Little Mount Iron, near Wanaka. Designed by architect Eliska Lewis in 2013. The home enjoys beautiful views out over the kanuka to the mountains beyond.
Little Mount Iron, near Wanaka. The materials for the house were selected to be durable and natural to complement the wonderful green setting.
Blackpool Beach, Waiheke Island. The black metal façade of this one-bedroom bach stands tall among the thick native bush that covers the steep site.
Blackpool Beach, Waiheke Island. Designed by Glamuzina Paterson Architects as a rural retreat for an Auckland couple in 2013.
Architect Gordon Moller designed this Wellington home to nestle into the side of the hills, protected from the wind.
Wellington home, Moller Architects. Skylights in every room ensure the house feels warm, bright and airy.
Black house, Queenstown, built in 2011 by architect Stacey Farrell. The main building tilts back to mimic a rockfall sliding down the hill.
Black house, Queenstown. The boxy furniture on the deck is designed by Stacey Farrell.
Seaweed house, Denmark. Designed by Vandkunsten architects in 2013. This holiday house was made with old construction techniques, including seaweed cladding.
Seaweed house, Denmark. A reconfigured interior has improved the light and flow.
Moores Bay, Kawau Island. The brief for Rowe Baetens Architecture called for a certain discreetness in style so that the abode would blend into the foliage. 2014.
Moores Bay, Kawau Island. An interior palette of complementary tones creates a refined rustic feel perfectly attuned to the bush-clad site.
Glade house, Auckland. Design by Strachan Group Architects, 2012. The defined vertical stems of the lancewood make a nice counterpoint to the horizontality of the architecture.
Glade house, Auckland. The home’s deck with gingko tree.
Although at times it may not feel like it, spring is on the way. With the warmer weather approaching, ArchitectureNow takes a look at some fantastic homes that we have featured over the last five years: houses that are situated in the bush or forest, and are well suited to make the most of the longer daylight hours.
The slideshow above showcases 10 homes that promote outdoor living and have been designed to maximise their environment. Situated in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Denmark, these are the type of homes that allow their owners to fully enjoy the spring weather.
