A new build home for rural and lifestyle property living, designed for off-grid comfort and sweeping coastal views. Perched on a gentle hill on a rural property in Port Waikato, The Lookout takes in sweeping coastal views and the native-forested hills opposite. The house feels both intimate and expansive — a serene retreat that engages fully with its rural surroundings, rather than retreating from them.
A plan that flexes between private retreat and shared lifestyle home
An offset barbell plan arranges the home, separating spaces thoughtfully while keeping a strong sense of openness throughout. Three bedrooms, two living areas and a large office give the house room to breathe, whether for quiet retreat, for work, or for accommodating guests. Day to day, the plan works as a private sanctuary for two. Yet it flexes easily: the second wing can open up just as easily to host another family, making this a genuinely adaptable rural property for changing seasons of life.
Materials built for the rural context
Inside, the material palette is robust, durable, and deliberately connected to nature. Polished concrete floors, plywood joinery, and tactile natural finishes complement the expansive rural views and bring the landscape indoors. This interior approach encourages calm and connection, well suited to a lifestyle property where the house needs to work as hard as the land around it.
A nod to the New Zealand shed vernacular
The exterior draws on the New Zealand shed vernacular. Striking dark grey corrugated metal sits against warm cedar insets, a quiet dialogue between modern design and rural context. Built for off-grid living, this rural house balances sustainability, comfort and beauty, offering a genuinely contemplative retreat that responds to both the land and the people living on it.
A serene retreat that engages fully with its rural surroundings, rather than retreating from them.
The second wing can open up just as easily to host another family — a genuinely adaptable rural property
Designed for off-grid living, balancing sustainability, comfort and beauty.
Designing a home for your own rural or lifestyle property?
If you want a house that works as hard as the land does — off-grid, adaptable, and closely connected to its surroundings — we would love to talk about your site. Get in touch to start the conversation, or browse more of our work for inspiration.
Photography
Simon Wilson
Critical Acclaim
Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects – Waikato / Bay Of Plenty Architecture Awards Finalist 2026
