A L U M I N I U M
I S S U E
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n° 3 0 •
ALU MIN IUM
2 0 2 2
ISS UE - n° 30 - 202 2 - € 10
[ REAL ESTATE ]
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME IN THE OMAHA SAND DUNES The coastal town of Omaha is found on New Zealand’s North Island, 75km north of Auckland. Famed for its white sand beach and views across Omaha Bay to the Hauraki Gulf, one of the last remaining front-line plots is set to benefit from a remarkable family home, designed by the award-winning UK firm, Ström Architects by Roxanne Hughes
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[ REAL ESTATE ]
Omaha Beach is on the edge of New Zealand’s Matakana wine country, and there 15 vineyards within a 15-minute drive. Other nearby attractions include the Goat Island Marine Reserve, Pakiri Beach and the Tawharanui Regional Park
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maha exclusive stretch of properties set amongst the sand dunes, began life as a more casual beach resort and holiday home destination. Now the permanent residence of many, the relaxed style and collective sense of community is what attracted Strom Architects to the more unusual location.
“I’m Swedish,” declares Magnus Ström, Founder and Creative Director of Strom Architects. “And there is something about the light and ambience of this coastal location that reminded me of my Scandinavian heritage – I was immediately drawn to it. Our practice is known for its modern and contemporary style, and the design of this property is reflective of that. Whilst it’s in complete juxtaposition to the organic nature of its setting, it’s unobtrusive, subtle and, thanks to the huge panels of glass, it takes on an element of transparency.” Strict planning guidelines and restrictions on area and volume shaped the property’s footprint, but Strom and his team set out to optimise sunlight and purposely positioned the façades to work with the coastal weather patterns. “To make the most of the incredible views, we arranged the main living area and master bedroom closest to the sea.
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The house is constructed on a steel frame with lightweight micro concrete cladding. Limestone and pale oak has been used for the floors and glass plays an integral role in both the design and structure
They have an entirely glazed façade and large balconies, allowing these key rooms to not only enjoy the vista, but make the most of the afternoon and evening sun,” explains Ström. The additional bedrooms are on the first floor, along with a home office. On the property’s more sheltered western side, an exterior lounge has been created, and at ground level, whilst there is shelter provided by the overhang of the floor above, the space has a more free-flowing and unconventional dynamic with walls removed entirely and others replaced by glass to permit unencumbered views across the plot. The interiors are intended to be minimal, utilising a colour palette of whites and greys, and calling on timber accents and furniture to warm the ambience. The house can boast two pools, one at the front of the property and a smaller, 30-metre long lap pool at the southern boundary. A generously proportioned garage with storage for water toys and kit for other outdoor pastimes has been included, reinforcing the intention that this be a family home. www.stromarchitects.com
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