3 Video Views·Mar 1, 2026
Nestled between the forest and the ocean on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, Te Arai Beach House manifests as a contemporary cabin in the woods.
“The power of the site when we first visited was in the ocean, the forest and the sand dunes. So we wanted to provide a building that doesn't challenge or reduce the sense of beauty that's already there,” says Tim Hay, design director and co-founder at Fearon Hay. “We instantly looked, in terms of the architecture, to references that related to those different thresholds – the ability to emerge from the forest, discover the ocean, but still have a sense of protection,” notes Hay. “So this idea of the cabin in the woods was an idea that stuck from very early on.”
From afar, Te Arai Beach House appears to be a series of simple, unambiguous silhouettes. However, as one moves closer, complexity is revealed through blurred thresholds, operable screens and considered openings. The first building is a cabin that contains a garage and guest occupation. “This sits between an open space that frames a courtyard and the main building, which is set to the ocean, and is fundamentally a pair of open suites that capture an open plan living space between them,” explains Hay.
Grounded in the desire to design a cabin in the woods, there is a strong connection between materiality and the forest. Timber is used for the facade, with the cedar also used inside, “but with an oiled treatment, so it has a warmer, richer hue to it than the weathered, silvered exterior,” says Hay. Decayed concrete that evokes a sense of time also features throughout, used as a counterpoint to the timber. Meanwhile, shutters provide a sense of breathing and reduction of light that further softens the building.
Interior design by Sonja Hawkins, who is also the homeowner, takes a similarly layered and contextual approach. “When you are building from scratch, the temptation is always to incorporate everything you dreamed of and what the budget allows for, but in this case, it was almost the opposite,” reflects Hawkins. “We wanted a very simple dwelling that allowed us to live a very simple life.”
Grounded in the cabin in the woods theme and with references to the farmhouse vernacular, the environment inspires the interiors. “I used both the ocean aspect and the forest within my thinking,” says Hawkins. A natural palette dominates, with warm and earthy tones favoured. “I've used the green of the forest and then within that, we have moments of darker elements, like the painted kitchen cabinetry and some sculptural elements.”
The interior design, natural environment and materials combine to create this cabin in the woods, evoking a simple sense of habitation and a pure experience of the site. “The most rewarding part of designing a home like this is the relationships and the results we've achieved with a client and a collaborator,” reflects Hay. Hawkins adds; “I think I’m most proud of how quietly the building sits within the environment and it just feels so peaceful and so at home.”
The power of the site when we first visited was in the ocean,
the forest and the sand dunes.
Our thinking when we have elements as powerful and as elemental as that
is to provide a building that doesn't challenge or reduce the sense of beauty
that's already there naturally.
My name is Tim Hay, Director at Ferron Hay Architects and this is Te Arai Beach House.
We're on the east coast of the North Island approximately an hour and a half north of Auckland.
One of the things that we were instantly taken
to by the site was its interface between the ocean and the forest.
So instantly we were sort of looking in terms of the architecture to references
that related to those different thresholds.
The ability to emerge from the forest, discover the ocean,
but still have a sense of backing, a sense of protection and edge that contained the building.
The fantastic thing about this project was that the client was also a design collaborator
and because of her experience in interiors and her work was able to jump in.
One of the early discussions was the idea that there wouldn't necessarily
be one singular structure. We really liked the idea of a series of buildings
and this idea of the cabin in the woods was an idea that stuck very early on.
My name is Sonia Hawkins and I am the interior designer and homeowner of Te Arai Beach House.
When you're building from scratch the temptation is always to
incorporate everything that you dreamed of and that the budget allows for.
But in this case it was almost the opposite. We wanted a very simple dwelling that allowed
us to live a simple life so obviously a place to sleep, a place to eat and good coffee were key to
us. But beyond that it was a place for family to gather and just to experience being outside
and enjoying the environment.
I was very open to the architectural intent which was the farmhouse vernacular.
As the designer and having ideas on the interior
it was something I knew I could work with and was excited to develop.
The organisation of the structures on the site start with a cabin that contains the garage and
guest occupation that sits between an open space that frames a courtyard and the main building
that is set to the ocean is fundamentally a pair of master suites that capture an open
plan living space between them. The silhouettes of the buildings from a distance are very simple
but the thing that we love about the project is as you move closer to the
building you understand that there is a sense of complexity.
The shutters and the layering of enclosure, the way that the building dissolves
provides a sense of occupation and flexibility that we wanted for the lifestyle that we imagined
the buildings would have. With our theme of the building set in the forest or the cabin in the
woods there was instantly this idea of materiality and translating the forest context into a timber
structure. Inside we've taken the cedar as well but provided a different treatment it's oiled
and it has a warmer richer hue to it to the weathered silvered exterior. As we develop that
we look to include a breadth of other materials and concrete was the counterpoint that we
wanted to achieve to the timber but the concrete also had a sense of decay. We didn't want to have
concrete that was too slick too urban we wanted it to have a sense of time.
It was definitely the environment that inspired the interiors.
I used both the ocean aspect and the forest within my thinking.
So we've got a very natural palette inside lots of warm earthy tones.
I've used the green of the forest and then within that we have moments of darker elements
the painted kitchen cabinetry and some sculptural elements. I think with most of our buildings we're
always looking at the opportunity of how they breathe and we're looking for where the predominant
wind might come from the opportunity of being able to ventilate the lee of the building
and then moderate that with elements like the shutters which can temper the air movement as
well. They can be pulled across a bedroom to provide a sense of breathing but reduction
of light for an afternoon nap. During the development of this project and meeting with
I came to think well how are we going to bring artists into the project and collaborate with
artists which is part of the joy of what I do and I guess I had a light bulb moment
where I thought how amazing would it be to have a Lisa Reihana wallpaper within the house.
Lisa created a piece that not only covered the
wall but the doors that access those areas and and minimise the impact of those doors.
The most rewarding part of designing a home like this is the relationships and results that we've
achieved with a client and a collaborator and feeling that it's moved from being a process
of design and delivery and construction to fulfilling the lifestyle opportunities
that we conceived together originally. I think what I'm most proud of is how quietly
the building sits within the environment and it just feels so peaceful and so at home.
And that means a lot to us that we're able to create spaces that have that sense of
fit and ease with the occupants and people that discover.
