A modest bach treated as a serious design problem.
Rhythm & Greens began with a straightforward brief: improve the flow, modernise the interior, and make better use of a compact footprint on a quiet Mount Maunganui street. What emerged was something more considered — a home that earns its calm rather than announces it.
The existing bach had good bones and an honest scale. The work concentrated on reinforcing those qualities: a stronger relationship between inside and outside, a material palette grounded in warmth and restraint, and an interior language that holds together across every room without feeling designed.
Design approach
Three decisions that changed the project.
Site and orientation
The existing layout fought the sun. Repositioning the primary living zone to the northern edge of the plan transformed the quality of light throughout the day without structural heroics.
Material restraint
Timber, plaster, and stone — chosen for longevity and the way they age together. Nothing decorative, nothing provisional. The palette simplifies as you move deeper into the plan.
Interior as architecture
Joinery, ceiling height, threshold details, and built-in furniture were designed as part of the architecture rather than specified afterwards. The result is a coherence that photographs badly and lives beautifully.
Recognition
ADNZ Award
2025
Architectural Designers New Zealand — recognising excellence in residential alterations and interior design.
Next project
Whareroa
Residential Architecture — Tauranga
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