Alpine Terrace House by Fearon Hay Architects

Alpine Terrace House is set on a sloping terrace surrounded by mountain ranges, overlooking the Wakatipu Basin in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Fearon Hay Architects worked to capitalize on the spectacular outlook while shielding residents from the elements. The property is therefore arranged as a cluster of simple rectangular buildings around a courtyard, the perimeter of which provides a sanctuary.

The architects explain how the house was conceived as a low profiled retreat, perched in the open landscape. “This project required a sanctuary from which to take in the alpine landscape, one that could engage with a view of mountain ranges to all sides while offering protection from the harsh extremes of an alpine terrace.”

Each rectangular box is sheathed in floor-to-ceiling glass, looking out to the mountainous landscape beyond. Both internally and externally, blackened finishes provide a maximum striking contrast to the natural surrounds. On inclement days the external perimeter can be closed off and the courtyard opened, in order to allow movement in and out of the various spaces. On calm days the external perimeter can also be opened, transforming the house into a series of covered spaces open to the mountain vistas.

The four adjourning buildings accommodate the various components of the house, including a pair of guest rooms, kitchen designed for social occasions, dining, formal sitting areas, master suite, bathroom, library and a reading room. The single-level structures are set on a plinth that begins at ground level, next to a gravel arrival court, and transitions to a cantilevered ledge above the sloping terrain.

A palette of timber, steel, metal and stone are all darkened to a form a homogenous, black silhouette. Single patched roof planes interact with one another in sculptural form. Internally, soft furnishing and white built-in storage panels give pops of colour. Inspired by spa retreats, the bathroom is clad in cream travertine, in contrast to the dominant dark and inky surfaces.