Bach Beauty

Words: Kim Newth

When Christchurch film producer Kathleen Gallagher first spotted a section for sale at Woodend Beach 12 years ago, she knew she’d found the perfect location for a family holiday home.

Kathleen has always loved the beauty and tranquility of Woodend Beach. In her childhood years, idyllic family holidays were spent there. The section that had caught Kathleen’s eye was only four doors down from the bach her parents had rented all those years ago in Ferry Road.

“There was just one catch: the section was only eleven metres wide. I remember thinking ‘how on earth can we build anything on a section like that’?” says Kathleen, who nevertheless decided, with her brother Kieran Gallagher, to buy the section.

With a budget of approximately $80,000, the building project would also have to be completed with economy in mind.

After pondering the options, Christchurch registered architect Graeme Craigie came up with a cost-effective design that would also make best use of the section’s width limitations. Family members also contributed their suggestions, which were carefully worked into the plan. Kaiapoi/North Canterbury builder Steve Hotton constructed the bach over four months, completing it by December 1999.

The result is a simple, yet elegant and practical, modern plywood New Zealand bach that offers light, comfort and seclusion. Horizontal batten cladding is a distinctive touch.

A fundamental design choice was to orient this holiday home away from the street. Entry to it is via a side verandah and hardwood decking area that extends virtually all the way to the fence line.

Step inside and the bach opens into a spacious living area that incorporates the kitchen, dining and laundry. Timbered floors (over a concrete base) and wooden ceilings are a tasteful feature, along with a solid macrocarpa bench top.

The generous decking area beyond the living space has the effect of making this room seem larger than it is and naturally provides easy indoor-outdoor flow.

One cost-saving technique was to put colour-steel green corrugated iron on upside down over the verandah roof, instead painting the topside. The view of the verandah roof from the deck chair is of unblemished green.

North facing, the stylish living room includes clerestory window features, namely additional high windows running above the kitchen area and also over the front entry windows. These have the effect of letting in additional light and also draw the eye to the interesting use of monopitch roofing throughout this home.

“One of the things I enjoy about the living space is the different ceiling levels, from the kitchen to the open area and the verandah,” says Kathleen.

“This house just fits the site so well. Graeme spent a lot of time at the site before coming up with the design. He thinks in 3D, which is so important. What he’s created is so ‘right’ and it really adds to the beauty of the area.”