A Unique Residential Experience –Skylark Cabin by Barry Connor Design

Strongly connected to its location, Skylark Cabin provides a unique residential experience. Barry Connor Design creates a home immersed in the ever-changing environment of the Ben Ohau Mountain Range.

Settled into the foothills of Twizel, Canterbury, Skylark Cabin is revealed as a poignant retreat. Escaping from the stresses of urban life, the structure functions as an off-grid cabin, complete with a luxurious outdoor bath to enjoy the natural sky reserve in serenity. Sitting on the intersection of sightlines to Backbone Peak and the Ben Ohau Mountain Range, the cabin is designed to effectively respond to its location; following the trajectory of the sun during different times of the year, the cabin makes the most of the interplay between light and shadow, inside and out.

As seen from the road, Skylark Cabin presents as an intriguing structure. At just under four metres in height, the home is elevated from the foothill in the shape of two rectangles, slightly skewed. Upon closer inspection, the angular building emerges as a compact residence – just under 50 square feet – with orange accents on the wood façade to represent the client’s love of the colour.

Barry Connor Design uses larch for the cabin exterior; the durable nature of the material withstands exposure to the weather on the reserve. The form of the home is intentionally sharp; gutters and downpipes are contained within the cavity of the rainscreen rather than left out to feel the full force of the wind.

Architecturally, Skylark Cabin encourages residents to enjoy the surrounding landscape. Windows of various sizes throughout the home make for particular, defined views of Backbone Peak and the Ben Ohau Range, whilst an open sightline from the bedroom to the reserve – passing through the living room – allows the cabin to borrow visual space from the outdoors. By providing many vantage points, Barry Connor Design makes residents privy to moments of natural beauty, such as when the wind runs through the tussock grass or snow comes to rest on top of a hill.

Split into two zones of living – cleaning-sleeping and living-kitchen-dining – Skylark Cabin encourages a simple, unhurried way of life. Upon entering the property, a casually styled bedroom lies to the right with an ensuite and laundry unit tucked behind. Turning left from the entryway leads residents into the main living area, which is combined with kitchen and dining facilities. Sheets of beech plywood along the walls and ceiling pull natural colours into the cabin, whilst a large skylight above the bed alludes to the night sky in an oversized, telescopic fashion.

Throughout the home, Barry Connor Design maintains a comfortable and sophisticated aesthetic, with the edges of the plywood sheets highlighting the geometric proportions of the structure. By creating a cabin that bears witness to its ever-changing external environment, Barry Connor Design ensures that the experience of Skylark Cabin is like no other.