Shaped by the land

11 May 2026

The Nelson Tasman region of New Zealand is renowned for its high sunshine hours, stunning natural landscapes and regional parks, so it’s not surprising that much of its modern residential architecture is geared towards celebrating the natural environment.

Designed by local architect Stephan Meijer in conjunction with Cape Town-based SOATA architects, this impressive family home sits lightly on the land despite its visual weight and presence.

“We were tasked with designing a refined, contemporary luxury home deeply integrated into its coastal landscape, capturing uninterrupted sea views while delivering comfort, privacy and architectural distinction.

“Central to the brief was the requirement that the house should feel anchored to the land yet open to the horizon – a balance between solidity and lightness.”

The GRAPHEX Masonry Overlay System was specified for its excellent thermal performance, durability and cost-effectiveness, coupled with a 15-year performance warranty.

This site presented the opportunity to create a home that was not so much placed on the land as it was shaped by it, says Stephan.

“The section is both precipitous in nature and west-facing, two aspects that are generally considered to be undesirable. However, the steep terrain made possible a dramatic, elevated living experience, while the west-facing orientation offered a daily connection to light, horizon and atmosphere.

“Carefully resolved, these constraints become the defining qualities of a distinctive, high-end coastal architecture – one that is experiential, performative and deeply site-specific.”

Set over four levels, the built forms step down the slope starting with rooftop garaging and entry, situated at street level, which establishes a sense of arrival that is heightened through the use of framed view corridors, which are further refined across the succeeding levels.

Interiors feature the ROCKCOTE Velvetina lime finish for a burnished concrete look. As a natural mineral material, Velvetina is a breathable surface finish and can be used on a wide variety of wall surfaces.

“Stepping the house down the site achieved two major goals. Firstly, minimising the level of excavation required and reducing the overall visual bulk of the structure, and secondly, allowed for a strong connection between the interior spaces and the natural environment.

“The latter we achieved by orienting living areas to the west to capture the views and stunning sunsets while using service spaces as thermal buffers where needed. Deep eaves, built-in operable screens and recessed glazing ensure access to the views while controlling direct sunlight.”

In the tradition of quality European lime plasters, ROCKCOTE Velvetina is a strong, fine-grained decorative plaster finish with a distinctive velvety appearance, making it ideal for use in broad wall applications.

To complement the modern style of the architecture, Stephan specified the GRAPHEX Masonry Overlay System from Resene Construction Systems.

“I wanted a proven, low-risk, low-maintenance system that offered excellent thermal performance, durability and cost-effectiveness, coupled with the assurance that comes from being by a trusted brand. Having worked with Resene Construction Systems’ products previously, I knew that the GRAPHEX Masonry Overlay System offered that and more.

“Based on the harsh climatic conditions the home would be exposed to, the 15-year performance warranty provides peace of mind, while, aesthetically, the crisp clean finish complements and enhances the suite of other materials used – glass, aluminium and timber.”

Internally, the ROCKCOTE Artisan Plaster finish selected was ROCKCOTE Velvetina – a hand-applied, Resene coloured lime plaster finish – the result being an interior that favours timeless elegance over trend-driven design.

“The beauty of the natural lime plaster finish system lies in its ability to emulate solid concrete walls with ‘burnished’ highlights to create a sophisticated aesthetic. While the finish was applied over multiple substrates, the nature of the product, coupled with the expertise of the team from Totally Plastered, Nelson meant we achieved a uniform finish to all the different surfaces, one that is guaranteed to maintain its looks for the next ten years.”

Photography by: Resene Construction Systems.

Published: 11 May 2026