Shepherds Hut by Fearon Hay sits at the edge of Lake Wānaka on a remote southern peninsula in New Zealand.
Responsive to its natural setting, Fearon Hay director and architect Tim Hay explains that the design “seeks to frame the surrounding environment, not compete with it. The result is a modest, low-lying form that feels embedded—both physically and conceptually—in the terrain”.
“Positioned to take advantage of natural contours and sheltered pockets within the land”, the wilderness of the southern alps is intended as the primary experience. Honouring the nostalgia and proportions of a traditional shepherds hut, the building is wrapped in “weathered timber and zinc-materials that will patinate with time and exposure”. Natural style planting undertaken across the site is intended to grow up and around the structure, softening its edges over time and pulling the architecture further into the land.
“Internally, western red cedar provides a warmer counterpoint, used consistently across walls and ceilings to create a unified, immersive” experience. With interiors designed by Paul Kennedy, a relaxed and comfortable retreat with two bedrooms at either end both with en suite with meticulously crafted onsen bath and stone backrest open out to expansive views of the local landscape.
