Mount Iron Barn

With a prime location at the foot of Mt Iron, this house is situated close to central Wanaka but benefits from a mainly rural outlook, a fact which informed its architectural style.

Designed using the double-height, sloped roof form of a barn, and pale timber tones for the cladding, the Mt Iron Barn takes this rural iconography into the modern day.

With solid timber posts and beams and a shiplap ceiling, all painted in a fresh white, the interiors veer away from what could have been a contrived rustic look, instead becoming a contemporary and comfortable family environment.

The solid timber posts and beams are visible and call up images of traditional European barn conversions where the remnants of the original barn structure are exposed. The idea of creating a repurposed farm building is carried through into the interior where recycled materials are contrasted with clean lines and modern finishes.

A wall of painted brick in the kitchen harks back to the form of the house, reminding the occupants of its barn-like exterior. Similarly, upstairs the bedrooms are housed under the sloped roof, which gives a cosy, attic-like feel to these private spaces.

The oversized, double-height windows allow for full appreciation of the rural, mountainous outlook from many different rooms in the house. External timber slatted elements, some of which are on sliders, prevent excessive solar gain as well as adding to the contemporary barn aesthetic. The result is a home with equal amounts of comfort, style and character.