Inside Sanctuary House A Courtyard Home Carved from Stone in the Coastal Cliffs of New Zealand

The site is situated on the north shore of Auckland It's situated directly on the coastal cliff so the house is deeply integrated into the landscape not only settling into the site but also serving as a sanctuary within a suburban setting The house is designed for a couple but includes spaces that can easily accommodate large gatherings of family and friends We wanted to hide the garage from the street view and create a sense of drama as you enter The stair is conceived as massive stone blocks seamlessly integrated into the landscape split by a glass panel wall that essentially separates the interior from the exterior all the various living areas of the house are connected through this S-shaped roof which is truly designed as a floating structure plane The design allowed us to bring natural light into various rooms and nearly enclosed courtyards throughout the day The upper-level living space is essentially like a bridge spanning both the self-contained unit below and the garage space unifying the entire house through the consistent use of material Turkish travertine marble layered both vertically and spread across the floor inviting you to simply walk up to it and touch its texture—the grain of the kitche e veneer runs horizontally just like the stone's grain and everything is arranged to emphasize this horizontal line creating a sense of stillness or calm within the house and I believe the choice of material contributes to this effec The way we've been able to use it and the spatial volumes we've been able to assemble and interlock with one another has created something truly remarkable