It was pure luck that Sophie Bowers and Josh Climpson ended up because the homeowners of this unimaginable alpine retreat in New Zealand’s South Island.
The story started when the couple took a ‘serendipitous street journey’ throughout Central Otago in 2019, and stumbled throughout an off-market property in a paddock with unobstructed views of Lake Wānaka and the encircling peaks.
‘The location was a pristine, untouched part of grass — a clean canvas surrounded by Wānaka’s putting alpine terrain,’ says Sophie, managing director of Sydney-based design agency Strutt Studios.
Instantly after visiting the positioning, they imagined constructing a novel vacation residence there, even sketching out an preliminary idea for his or her dream construct on the again of a serviette at dinner that night. They purchased the property, and as they are saying, the remainder is historical past.
Whereas the construct didn’t begin till November 2023, Sophie and Josh stayed true to the easy kinds they envisioned on their first day on the property. The ensuing residence, referred to as Scout, combines a tall, pitched-roof barn for communal dwelling areas; a central hub connecting entry and utility; and a shorter sq. dwelling for personal rooms.
‘From the outset, we envisioned a recent interpretation of alpine tramping huts and wool sheds,’ Sophie says. ‘As there was no present construction, we have been free to design from scratch.’
She seemed to the older a part of Wānaka city for key architectural references, drawing inspiration from the restrained avenue facades with minimal openings and modernist alpine lodges.
The outside is daring but utilitarian, clad totally in corrugated iron — painted in a refined, aged inexperienced hue — as one other nod to New Zealand’s barn-style typography.
‘Like these rural buildings, Scout is designed to seem grounded and “bunkered down” into the panorama, revealing its true scale and quantity solely when you’re inside,’ Sophie says.
‘The best affect, nevertheless, was the seasonal color palette of the encircling panorama.’
A uniform backdrop of OSB chipboard traces the inside partitions, permitting for accents of wealthy browns, iron reds, and moss tones. The polished concrete flooring, walnut joinery, and handcrafted Japanese tiles additionally add to the calming environment — enhanced by rigorously positioned home windows and sliding doorways revealing the actually spectacular mountain views.
Sophie says Scout is an entire sanctuary that rigorously balances non-public and public areas, with luxurious additions like an outside tub, a Seventies-inspired dialog pit lounge room, and a rooftop balcony overlooking the lake.
‘We’re happy with how each factor — from the intimate mezzanine lounge to the massive image window — seamlessly integrates into the panorama, making the house really feel like a pure extension of its atmosphere,’ Sophie says.
