Dorrington Architects designed the Rutherford House in Taupo Tauranga / Oruatua in New Zealand. The idea was to create a modern holiday home suitable for the hot summers of Lake Taupo and the cold winters for skiing at Mt Ruapehu. Formally, the house consists of four main elements being a concrete base, which at some points is folded to contain the interior spaces, two blocks clad with cedar black for the rooms, and an open plan with a balcony. The concrete base provides the required high level of the ground, creating the intermediate zones between the interior and exterior. Suspended decks, were inserted into the living room and in front, covered outdoor spaces. The arrangement of the living space was adequate to the extreme climate of the locality, with local activities in different degrees of privacy.
