Lauchlan House

Lauchlan House is a family home atop a dramatic cliff overlooking Browns Bay on Auckland’s North Shore. Responding to its steep terrain and coastal context, tiered volumes descend down the site, following the natural contours to create a collection of related spaces that flow effortlessly between indoor and out.

To the street, the home presents a modest single-level façade with a curved verandah that belies the slowly sweeping bay the house overlooks. This intentionally understated exterior presents a subdued and subtle introduction from the street, but on entering and moving through the home, a more complex sequence of spatial experiences unfold and reveal themselves, culminating in the expansive views that connect it to its surroundings.

With one side of the house nestled against the hillside, such sites often face challenges with overheating and poor ventilation. The design response incorporated clerestory windows on each level, allowing natural airflow and passive ventilation throughout the home’s different levels and spaces. The swimming pool is located at the site’s lowest point below the house. This ensures that the pool remains cool and inviting even throughout the summer months.

Client: Confidential

Metrics: 410m² home

Photography: Sam Harnett