Kawakawa

A Kawakawa Bay renovation reconnecting an evolving bach with the water

AO Architecture renovated Kawakawa, an older bach at Kawakawa Bay that had been extended and altered several times over its life. What initially appeared to be a straightforward coastal renovation required considerably more work to bring the existing building up to current standards. Alongside those upgrades, the design simplified the accumulated additions and opened the house more directly towards its exceptional view across the bay.

Untangling years of additions

The existing house had grown incrementally, with different parts added as the bach changed over time.

Renovation exposed more work than expected to bring the building up to code, turning the project into a more substantial upgrade than its finished appearance might suggest. The architectural work had to accommodate those requirements while bringing the different parts of the house back together as one coherent home.

Making the veranda part of everyday life

The extended veranda runs along the water-facing side of the house, creating a generous outdoor space between the living rooms and the bay.

Large sliding openings allow the interior to open directly onto it, so you can move from the living area towards the water without losing shelter. An operable louvre system overhead allows the veranda to respond as conditions change – opening to sun when wanted and closing down when protection from the weather is needed.

That flexibility makes the veranda less of a fixed covered edge and more of an outdoor room that can change with the day.

Letting the view carry the interior

Inside, the palette is deliberately restrained. Timber, light surfaces and simple detailing keep attention on the water rather than competing with it.

Cedar is used through the renovation, reinforcing the informal coastal character of the original bach while giving the altered parts a more consistent material language.

From the main living spaces, the house now reads through the veranda to the bay beyond, with the louvred outdoor area becoming part of everyday living rather than simply an addition outside the house.