Marine

A New Brighton home shaped by the beach, sun and everyday surfing

AO Architecture designed Marine in New Brighton, Christchurch, for a keen surfer living just across the road from the dunes. The beach was an obvious influence, but it was not the only one. The upper floor is split between two outlooks: the main bedroom faces towards the coast, while the living spaces turn north towards the rear garden and afternoon sun.

Two sides of beachside living

The main bedroom sits above the garage and entrance, pushed towards the street and beach beyond. Broad glazing wraps the corner of the room, giving the bedroom a direct outlook across the dunes.

At the rear, the living area opens in the opposite direction. Large sliding doors connect the kitchen and lounge to an elevated deck overlooking the garden, with an external stair leading directly down to the lawn.

That arrangement is a clear trade-off. Rather than forcing every important room to face the sea, the house gives the bedroom the coastal outlook while reserving the sunnier northern side for the spaces used throughout the day.

Arriving beneath the upper floor

The first floor projects over the recessed entrance, bringing the main bedroom closer to the beach while creating shelter at the front door below.

Inside, the route to the living level runs beside a textured concrete wall before turning up the stair. Rooflights bring daylight down into this central part of the house, while slender black balustrades keep the stair visually open to the kitchen above.

Coming home from the water

The surfing brief continues at ground level. After coming back across the dunes, the owner can rinse off at an outdoor shower tucked behind the garage before heading inside.

The shower itself was designed by the owner, with exposed black pipework, a projecting shower head and a long operating lever.

That small detail says as much about the house as the larger beach-facing windows – it was designed around actually using the coast, not simply looking at it.

Marine kitchen with large pale island, dark cabinetry and open stair screened by closely spaced black vertical balusters.
Marine stair with timber treads and black vertical balustrade beneath a sequence of rectangular rooflights.
Marine house viewed across the coastal dunes, with a timber-clad upper level rising above the road.
Marine ground-floor circulation spaces with timber-lined ceiling, polished floor and open timber stair beside vertical screening.
Marine rear exterior at dusk with timber cladding, ground-floor bedroom glazing and a large glazed upper living area opening to the balcony.
Marine living room with pale timber floor and broad glazing looking across the coastal vegetation and dunes.
Marine open shower room with large-format tiles and a translucent screened window filtering daylight into the space.
Marine bathroom with freestanding bath against a timber-lined wall and dark exposed-aggregate floor.
Marine bedroom with full-height corner glazing overlooking the road and coastal dunes.
Marine bathroom with freestanding bath, timber wall lining, pale vanity and large mirror beside a narrow window.
Marine details showing an industrial-style light switch and outdoor surf shower beside boards stored against the wall.
Aerial view of Marine showing the long rectangular roof, decks, lawn and narrow beachfront site.

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