Concept & Build
Michael Cooper - Architect
MCooper Architects
From the very beginning, the owners' vision was clear: they wanted a home that didn’t just sit in its environment but celebrated it. The design needed to frame the natural beauty of Rangitoto — the harbour, the beaches, and the ever-changing light — while also delivering the comfort and flexibility of a truly livable family home.
The brief called for a house that could adapt to different stages of life, either as a couple, a bustling household filled with children, or for a family with staff. Just as important were the spaces within it — the entertainment zones where friends could gather and the family could come together in the media room, balanced with the privacy of a parents’ retreat, a dedicated study zone for the children, and a parents’ office designed for working from home and keeping important documents close at hand, as well as having the ability to meet clients onsite and not have them in the house.
For entertaining, the home offers a variety of experiences. There is a top floor bar for adult night-time gatherings, or the more intimate whiskey and wine tasting cellar, while a glass-roof conservatory provides the perfect setting for large extended family celebrations. These additions create layers of connection, ensuring the home works equally well for private evenings, family moments, or bigger occasions. The scullery with its full kitchen also ensures catering is seamless and out of sight.
The owners architectural inspiration drew from the timeless elegance of mid-century design, made iconic by Richard Neutra who designed the Kauffman desert house immortalised by Slim Aaron's iconic photograph. I felt we could go one better with the aim to capture the sophistication and warmth of that aesthetic while keeping the house fresh and contemporary. The result blends classic style with modern function, achieving a home that feels both timeless and forward-looking — never old-fashioned, always relevant.
One of the property’s most remarkable features is its private access to Tamaki Drive — the only one of its kind in St Heliers. This unique access gives you the freedom to walk straight down to beaches, parks, restaurants, and public transport, placing the best of the area at your doorstep. The design maximises this feature through careful connections, expansive glazing, and open sightlines that frame both the harbour and the city beyond.
After many hours of planning, collaboration, and refinement, the finished home captures every part of the original brief: contemporary yet timeless, functional yet beautiful, and designed to make the most of its spectacular views. Expansive glass and carefully planned spaces ensure that the outdoors is never far away, while interior zones provide privacy, connection, and flexibility for every stage of life.
This residence is not just a place to live. It is a home designed with purpose — a home that elevates everyday living into something truly special.
Michael Malloy - Builder
Colabb Build
When the owners and architect first presented me with the plans, I was immediately excited by the prospect of building what I knew could become an iconic home. The brief was ambitious: a four-story residence on the side of a cliff, designed to capture spectacular views while still expressing warmth, safety, and functionality.
As a builder, I’ve worked on many challenging projects, but what stood out here was not only the technical demands of the site — building into a cliffside, engineering for stability, and delivering luxury at scale — but also the coordination required. With such a large number of trades involved, and a build time stretching over three years, the project became like a moving puzzle where every piece had to align perfectly.
With a build this size and as complex as this build was, you expect lots of challenges but the quality of the support team such as the Structural Engineers, Arborists, subtrades and Geotechs, as well as the team of Architects dedicated to this job, made it a seamless process.
In total, more than 35,000 builder’s man-hours went into this home, not to mention the time taken by the other trades needed to deliver a finished product. That scale of effort demands not just craftsmanship, but communication, teamwork, and a relentless focus on detail. It’s the kind of project where the complexity makes the result even more rewarding — knowing what it took to bring it all together makes the finished home feel truly remarkable.
And I think we have transferred the architect’s and owners’ vision into a reality. It’s rare to see a home of this standard that fits everyone’s lifestyle.
