Bream Tail HOUSE

Set on the Bream Tail headland in Mangawhai, this contemporary coastal home sits lightly within a dramatic landscape of mature tōtara and pōhutukawa, carefully arranged to frame expansive views while maintaining a strong sense of shelter and privacy.

Working closely with VRLA, Schwarz Design, and landscape designer Trudy Crerar, the build brings together a restrained palette of cedar cladding, basalt flooring, and dark steel detailing. The architecture is organised around a sheltered internal courtyard, allowing the home to open and close to the elements while preserving a calm, protected heart. Sliding cedar batten screens provide shade and privacy, creating a layered façade that shifts throughout the day as light and wind move across the site.

The home now sits comfortably within its coastal setting, where architecture, interiors, and landscape work together to balance exposure and refuge, allowing the surrounding trees, terrain, and ocean views to remain the defining presence.