© Patrick Reynolds

K Valley House by Herbst Architects

Located on a ridgeline on 20 hectares of farmland in a valley on the Kauaeranga river, the Coromandel House is a retreat of a film maker couple, it clads in a skin of rusty recycled corrugated iron, and faces north and enjoys 300-degree views of the surrounding valley.

Architects: Herbst Architects
Location: Thames, New Zealand
Photography: Patrick Reynolds, Lance Herbst

© Lance Herbst

The site stretches from high on the hillside to the river banks and includes a ridgeline which commands a panoramic view of the farmland below and the native bush on the opposite slopes of the valley.

© Lance Herbst

The building is a singular geometric form that could hold its own in the big landscape. We positioned the form straddling the ridgeline, engaged with the slope at the high end and floating above the land as it falls away.

© Patrick Reynolds

© Lance Herbst

Inside, the 115-square-metre home features a simple open-plan kitchen and dining area that opens to decks on both sides. The living room is set two steps below, and framed entirely in glass that allows panoramic views of the valley.

© Patrick Reynolds

Designed and owned by husband-and-wife team Lance and Nicola Herbst of Auckland-based Herbst Architects, the home responds in an eloquent way that fits beautifully into its rural setting.