RTA studio nestles a timber-clad holiday home into new zealand's southern alps

inspired by local vernacular architecture, RTA studio has designed a small, barn-shaped holiday home in new zealand‘s cardrona valley. surrounded by the picturesque southern alps mountain range, the ‘cardrona hut’ provides a cozy getaway for a family of five and their friends.  

images by patrick reynolds

the single-story building is split into two distinct volumes, one for living, and the other for sleeping. these two functional boxes are connected via a covered outdoor space, which is articulated by a chunky stone chimney and can be closed off by large wooden shutters. in total, the program can accommodate up to 10 people sleeping: two in the master bedroom, six on bunks, and another two on custom sofa beds in the lounge.

RTA studio‘s design draws influence from the local vernacular, such as tramping huts, miner’s cottages or rural barns, where necessity drives form. this is displayed in the simple, rectilinear shape of the holiday home and the selection of materials: timber cladding, corrugated iron and local stone. no plasterboard is used in the project. instead, all of the internal linings are made of plywood.

large sliding screens and operable shutters over the windows give the design flexibility. they allow the house to be either closed off and shaded from the sun or open to the elements. the main feature is certainly the large window on the short elevation of the living space. during the daytime, it serves to bring the family closer to the outdoors while at night, the warmly-lit interiors create a homely beacon on the landscape.

project info:

project name: cardrona hut

location: cardrona valley, new zealand

architecture firm: RTA studio

floor area: 775 ft2 (72 m2)

photography: patrick reynolds