Roberts Gray Architects has completed SKI House, a striking residential project in Wānaka, New Zealand, that masterfully combines exposed blockwork walls with screens of lightweight steel and blackened timber. The home was designed for the parents of studio co-founder James Gray, who have lived adjacent to the site for over two decades. The playful name "SKI House" serves as both an acronym for "spending kids' inheritance" and a nod to the area's renowned ski resorts.
Described by the architects as an "urban sanctuary," the home presents an abstract, blocky facade to the street while opening up to reveal a courtyard garden and panoramic mountain views. The design thoughtfully balances openness and enclosure through a series of solid geometric forms tied together by a lightweight screen system, courtyards, and carefully positioned openings that create dynamic interplays of light and shadow throughout the interior spaces.
The house features distinctive black screens made from steel and charred timber that conceal both the garage and entrance door facing the street. These screens extend into the site to wrap around a large courtyard before opening onto a rear garden that frames spectacular views of the nearby mountains. The screens create a double-skin system around the central living area, with a barbecue veranda positioned between an inner layer of sliding glass doors and an outer layer of sliding charred timber screens.
The material palette demonstrates deliberate and thoughtful pairing throughout the project. Galvanized steel is matched with blockwork due to their homogeneous tonality and weathering characteristics, while blackened steel, which develops surface rust over time, finds harmony with charred cedar. The architects also considered both aesthetics and practicality in combining Japanese cedar and American oak, pairing a softwood with a hardwood that share similar grain structures.
The ground floor layout includes a corridor that can be completely opened to the central courtyard via sliding glass screens, connecting to two bedrooms. Each bedroom leads to a private courtyard and has access to a central bathroom featuring an outdoor shower. Stone paving is featured in the living area, complemented by built-in storage solutions in the kitchen that maintain the home's clean, geometric aesthetic.
On the compact first floor, a single additional bedroom extends into a tall blockwork volume, with a strategically positioned desk that takes advantage of panoramic mountain views. This elevated space provides an intimate retreat while maintaining visual connections to the dramatic landscape that defines the Wānaka region.
SKI House represents Roberts Gray Architects' commitment to creating architecture that responds to New Zealand's unique landscape while providing a comfortable family sanctuary. The project was featured in a video produced for appliance brand Fisher & Paykel, which provided the home's kitchen fittings, showcasing how contemporary New Zealand architecture continues to evolve and adapt to both environmental conditions and lifestyle needs.
