Being surrounded by nature is not only a luxury but also a necessity — the brief given to Mark from MJW Architecture for “The View House” located in the Otago Region, provides a relaxing atmosphere for families to gather while admiring the beautiful views of the lake and mountains.

The story of the View House begins in 2018 when a farming family from Taihape contacted MJW architecture to design a multi-generational holiday home and reunion destination. The most important requirement, however, was that all rooms have a view of Lake Hāwea and the surrounding mountains, where the open spaces could be enjoyed regardless of the weather.

Lake Hāwea is the ninth largest lake in New Zealand and has a marine west coast that is mild with no dry season and warm summer. It has an annual average temperature of 10.5 degrees Celsius, and it gets a lot of rain during the mild winters, which are dominated by mild-latitude cyclones. It was important to equip the home with weather-resistant roofing and cladding. That’s where Dimond Roofing’s profile, LT7 came in, making the clients dream a reality. LT7 was selected as the profile of choice in the view’s roofing and cladding structure due to its resistance to harsh climatic conditions. The cherry on top, however, was LT7's excellent water-shedding characteristics.

This project was able to achieve its goal of being a low-maintenance building with a modern design thanks to the wider purlin and girt spacings LT7 offers. Extreme Roofing oversaw the roofing installation process, and they were also in charge of providing the final capstone.

The end result? A stunning holiday home, with a floor area of 326sqm, stunning views from every room, beautiful birch plywood ceilings, a central courtyard, open plan living spaces, and an exterior that seamlessly flows with Lake Hāwea’s breath-taking surroundings.

TIDA New Zealand named the View House Architect New Home of the Year 2022. For Dimond Roofing, it is an honour to participate in this magnificent outcome.