Located on the east coast of New Zealand’s north island, Casper’s House is a quaint holiday home for a family of four, their travelling pests and a multitude of guests.
The home’s ‘blurple’ facade, as described by its designers Glamuzina Architects and Dessein Parke, was intentionally implemented to buck the trend of atypical New Zealand beach houses, which often feature white render and timber. Casper’s House instead draws on the abstract, channelling the experimentation of the Fire Island homes constructed in the mid 20th century, where unconventional exterior forms conceal intriguing interior spaces.
The facade is clad in a translucent corrugated fibreglass rainscreen over magnesium oxide SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) and painted timber battening. The textures of each material helps to create a number of geometric patterns under the skin, giving the exterior a visual depth. As light strikes the cladding from different angles, the colour evolves from pale pinks to a stunning violet.
The house is split into two slender forms. The home steps down the sloped site and comprises an entrance and bathroom at the top, with a stairwell leading to the kitchen and bedroom wing below. Moving further through the first volume sits a lounge and balcony, with a mezzanine that sits above the lounge and doubles as an additional bedroom. The stepped nature of the home allows for contrast between spaces in both size and feel, with net floors, ladders, and secret openings throughout the house making it perfect for hide and seek.
Glazing to the north and a number of skylights flood the space with natural light and cast intricate light forms across the walls of the interiors throughout the day. As a result, the ever-changing nature of the spaces makes the dwelling a constantly evolving and changing space.
Thin in stature and abundant in stepped space and light, Casper’s House is the holiday home many children dream about, due to its winding staircases, colourful interiors and net and ladder installations. The Tairua abode is a clear differentiation of the archetypal New Zealand holiday home, with its ever-changing facade and textural palette a far cry from the norm.
