Pipers Valley

A Duvauchelle renovation reconnecting a bungalow and its later addition

AO Architecture reworked Pipers Valley, a 1950s bungalow with a substantial 1990s addition above Duvauchelle Bay. The two parts had very different characters, and the circulation between them was awkward. We gave the later wing a clearer barn-like identity and used a new entry and stair to properly connect it back to the original house.

Two buildings, deliberately different

The 1990s addition was stripped back and reworked with corrugated-iron cladding and a new gabled roof, replacing its earlier hipped form.

The change gives the later wing a simpler, more agricultural character. The original bungalow remains lighter and more domestic, so the difference between the two eras reads as intentional rather than unresolved.

The garage also became part of the new programme, repurposed for bedrooms and a home office, while the upper level of the barn wing became a more private suite.

Fixing the connection

Before the renovation, movement between the original house and later addition passed through a bedroom.

A new entry and stair now sit where the two parts meet, bringing circulation into the centre of the plan. The stair becomes the hinge between bungalow and barn – you experience the change in character as you move from one to the other.

Opening the bungalow to the north

The original bungalow became the main living and entertaining area. Removing the existing conservatory gave up an enclosed intermediate space, but allowed the living rooms to connect much more directly with the northern deck and pergola.

Wide openings now put the outdoor area immediately alongside the main family spaces, making the north side a more useful extension of the house.

A Brazilian detail at the hinge

The stair marks the meeting point between the two building eras, and its perforated steel balustrade carries one of the project’s most personal details.

Its pattern references the boardwalk at Ipanema Beach – a connection to Brazil for one of the owners, who is Brazilian. The reference sits within the circulation element that physically brings the two halves of the home together.

Pipers Valley house at dusk with the original bungalow, covered outdoor dining area and Duvauchelle Bay beyond.
Timber deck at Pipers Valley beside the original bungalow, with dark woven chairs and dense garden planting.
Dark gabled addition at Pipers Valley rising beside the garden path with the surrounding hills behind.
Pipers Valley lounge with dark finishes, a large colourful artwork and staircase with a perforated balustrade.
Pipers Valley exterior showing the original bungalow beside the dark two-storey gabled addition and broad timber deck.
Two outdoor chairs on the Pipers Valley timber deck overlooking the green hills and a glimpse of the bay.
Interior view at Pipers Valley toward the living area with suspended black fireplace, timber floor and garden-facing windows.
End elevation of the dark two-storey Pipers Valley addition with a simple gabled form and limited openings.
Pipers Valley open-plan kitchen, dining and living space with a suspended fireplace and wide connection to the outdoor area.

Selwyn

Pakiri

IMPRES

Kawakawa