Scholes zincalume house, Banks Peninsula

(Your Home & Garden, January 2006)

Escaping to a bach has long been a Kiwi dream. What could be nicer than a holiday every weekend? With life seeming to have become more and more stressful these days, and regular weekends no longer a reality for many, is the Kiwi bach a thing of the past?

Christchurch couple Lorraine and Geoff Scholes' new place at Wainui, on Banks Peninsula, happily proves that the bach, and the dream, are still alive.

Less than an hour's drive from the city, you feel like you are in another world.

It's a spellbinding spot. From its hillside setting, the bach faces east towards the heads of Akaroa Harbour , through which French settlers sailed in the 1840s, nearly claiming New Zealand as a French colony.

To the west are the rugged volcanic peaks of the Port Hills. The bach itself is nestled amid a native bush reserve. The native wood pigeon, kereru, swoops down and perches on a kanuka branch, then shows off his own unique aerobatic display. The clear song of a bellbird rings out.

This is the spot Lorraine and Geoff chose, instead of holidaying in Tuscany; hence the name on the gate, Tuscanui.

The couple were eager to have a simple bach with its own special style, rather than a grand beach house.

"We decided that the view was the feature," says Geoff.

Designer Ian Bisman, of architecture firm Warren and Mahoney, describes the home as "the way the Kiwi bach should be.

"It was always going to be a bach. It was built very cheaply. It was just a simple square tube designed to pick up on the centre of the view, and by glazing both ends, you can let the sun come in."

The long, narrow, two-storeyed, two-box structure measures 78sqm, with each box only 3.5m wide.

The construction is shiny Zincalume cladding over a timber frame, supported on poles. It's economical, yet long-lasting.

Boats and canoes are stored underneath the house. Here, too, is a self-contained guest room with an ensuite and shower. External stairs lead up to the main living level.

Rather than wrapping picture windows around the house, Bisman opted for a floor-to-ceiling window capturing a view of the harbour heads.

The roof slopes downwards, following the contour of the hill to focus the eye towards the view.

Light streams though a narrow north-facing horizontal window at floor level. Ranchsliders open to a western, behind the kitchen. This area catches the later afternoon and evening sunshine.

In the kitchen the couple can prepare a scrumptious treat for guests. They can then wheel the metal benchtop island out of the way if they need more space.

Two bedrooms open off the living area, with a bathroom in between.

Lorraine chose aqua colours and a minimalist décor throughout, and revelled in collecting furniture and furnishings from eclectic sources.

You can recline in a Le Corbusier recliner chair in the living room and enjoy the harbour view. The original design was by the famous 20th- century Swiss architect. Two bentwood chairs retain the essential bach-like simplicity.

Geoff, who trained as a mechanical engineer, built the large steel table out of a pantry door. Lorraine sourced the translucent green plastic and metal dining chairs from Target Furniture, in Auckland. The floor is being paved with laminated oak.

Brightly coloured decorative fish in the bathroom came from a shop in Lyttelton.

Although Wainui has its own sewerage scheme, a good water supply, telephone and electricity, Lorraine and Geoff still treasure its secluded setting, and have chosen not to have the phone connected.

Altogether the home has five outdoor living areas: a dining area surrounded by bush, with hammocks suspended from the branches, a breakfast balcony, a sun deck, a shady spot, and another balcony from which to watch the sun setting behind the rugged volcanic peaks.

"We built this place with socialising in mind," says Lorraine. "It brings us in touch with the sea, even though we're on top of a hill…It's fantastic."

The Scholes' three grown-up daughters and friends seem to share their sentiments. "We've had so many wonderful parties here. It works well in the winter and summer," says Lorraine. "Where else can you wake up on a summer's morning and see the dolphins flipping? It's magical."

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