House Inspired by New Zealand Huts

LTD Architectural’s David Maurice has completed the Back Country House, a two-story residence in New Zealand that aims to create a close connection with the rural environment. The house is a reinterpretation of the country’s backcountry huts – simple shelters in the wilderness that can be inhabited by the public.

The project consists of a single volume on the ground floor for lounging, cooking and eating, which extends onto a terrace that serves as an extension of the living area of ​​the house. An outdoor fireplace ensures that the veranda can be used all year round, while two sunken tubs in the deck allow residents to bathe outdoors. When not in use, the tubs can be covered with a simple wooden table for alfresco dining or just drawing with kids. The outside of the house is clad in weathered wood, and this wood comes from the region.

Inside is a living room with a fireplace, hanging chair, comfortable furniture, and musical instruments. Upstairs, under the sloping roof, the master bedroom has a long desk where the room can function as an office. What’s interesting, the bed is suspended to make it more relaxed, and the entire bedroom is centered around the view, and skylights above the bed fill the space with light. In an adjoining outbuilding on the ground floor there are additional bedrooms and service areas. There is a firewood store outside the outbuilding. The interior decor is very simple: white walls and lots of light natural wood, what can be better for a country house? The interiors are strongly connected to the outdoors, and each space is centered around the view.