WABI-SABI SANCTUARY
Blending rugged materiality with serene Japanese-inspired design, this Brick Bay Heights residence offers a private retreat that celebrates imperfection, transience, and natural beauty.
Perched on its site at 6 Arabella Lane, the home, designed by Pacific Environments Architects and completed in early 2024, unfolds across three interconnected pods – a masterful play of restraint within constraints. The challenge of building within covenants informed the eventual design, while still achieving the owners’ vision of a private, minimalist home that melds with the contours of the land in stark, angular contrast.
The design achieves complete privacy while framing ever-changing rural and sea vistas, creating spaces that feel simultaneously intimate, expansive, and deeply rooted in their natural surroundings. Guided by a Wabi-Sabi philosophy, this approach is evident in the Japanese-charred Accoya exterior, concrete and plaster finishes, and asymmetrical spaces that establish a quiet elegance, complemented by muted earth tones throughout. Inside, refined hand-forged brass mirrors, lighting, and handles by Powersurge Metalworks, along with sculptural mild steel walls and custom kitchen cabinetry, reinforce the home’s focus on raw materiality. Incredibly strong and durable, these materials will gently age over time.
The entryway leads to a split-level design tailored for modern living. Above the double garage and workshop, a media room adjoins a home office with a coveted corner window, offering inspiring work-life opportunities. The middle pod houses a generous living room anchored by a double-sided bespoke aged brass panelled fireplace, complemented by an Emeraude marble and steel kitchen, scullery, and wet bar. A powder room, shower room, and bedroom are thoughtfully tucked away within a discreet, soundproofed wing. Expansive sliding doors lead east to a private heated infinity pool, or west to the lanai with outdoor fireplace – ideal for sunset entertaining.
Sliding partitions between pods echo traditional Japanese shoji screens, providing flexible soundproofing and separation, while the third pod serves as a secluded sleeping area. Here, three bedrooms, including a retreat-like primary suite with seating nook, walk-in wardrobe, and luxurious ensuite, offer privacy and serenity. Slate finishes in the bathrooms will continue to patina and evolve over time, deepening the home’s character and reinforcing its Wabi-Sabi ethos.
The property’s newly expanded landholding, combining 6 and 8 Arabella Lane, now totals 3,809m2 and showcases spectacular views over Kawau Bay to Great Barrier Island and beyond. A flat building platform and consented architectural plans open possibilities for a secondary home, family compound, tennis court, orchard, olive grove, or additional parking – while the existing residence remains a sanctuary of calm and considered design.
Nestled near pristine beaches, golf clubs, mountain trails, diving and fishing spots, and neighbouring Brick Bay Winery, the home balances seclusion with lifestyle convenience.
Now on the market, this extraordinary residence invites a new family to enjoy its sanctuary-like spaces while exploring the possibilities its expanded land offers. A true architectural gem, it embodies the harmony of Wabi-Sabi living and the potential for future generations to craft their own story here.
