Homestead | On location

The home is as assemblage of five pavilions looking outwards from a central courtyard, inspired by the remnants of the goldmining structures scattered across the Wakatipu Basin. The pavilions are arranged to follow the contours of the land and described by the architects as being ‘of’ the Earth, rather than ‘on’ it.

Each section is orientated towards at least one of Queenstown’s iconic peaks – Cardrona, Mount Soho, Coronet Peak, Ben Lomond, and Double Cone – and constructed in materials which reference those traditionally used in the area.

Partially built in local Glenorchy schist and partially in weathering steel, the building evokes images of riverbeds and rusted tools, long abandoned by the region’s hopeful goldminers. At home within the courtyard stands a large sculpture crafted by the artist-homeowner in Corten steel – a god-like being appearing to blow in the wind – while a grand bronze door beckons visitors, conjuring a golden nugget – the treasure of Central Otago.

The central living space feels as expansive as the Remarkables beyond, with a four-metre-high stud, schist-clad chimney, and polished concrete floor the home’s textures act as furnishings themselves. “Overall, I would say that Arrowtown House is slightly monastic or castle like,” architect Richard Naish tells Archipro, “it’s our attempt to blur the boundaries between nature and architecture.” 

James Dunlop and David Shaw Furniture, another generational manufacturer with deep roots in the South Island of New Zealand, collaborated to shoot their new collections in the house.

After selecting a location that naturally conversed with James Dunlop's Homestead and David Shaw's Solstice collections, the designers matched fabrics to furniture pieces, seeking to intertwine the old with the new by incorporating old favourites from their oeuvre.

Inspired by our shared Antipodean lifestyle and intrinsic connection to our natural surroundings, the simplistic yet sculptural silhouettes infuse a sense of calm into the home. The Lazlo chair is upholstered in Fleece, a faux sheepskin with a dense curled pile which is perfectly suited to curvaceous, cocooning furniture.

Inside the golden doorway sits Arlo. A sectional bench with four legs constructed in a mixture of timber and mottled iron, juxtaposed at angles, with a soft seat upholstered in our tailored bouclé, Alpine. Also upholstered in Alpine is the refined Camden sofa. Inspired by the colours of New Zealand, the Alpine palette evokes the volcanic neutrals, snow-capped mountains, sun-baked clay, and mineral blues and greens of the South Island. 

Sitting cohesively within the mountainous landscape of Central Otago, the Pablo sofa is generous in scale with great attention to detail. Clean lines and bolster cushions are covered in Vienna, a polyester velvet which feels like cotton and enduring favourite from the James Dunlop offering.

Another sculptural piece, the Rhodes bench is upholstered in Entwine, a dimensional bouclé offering an eye-catching profile from every angle. Entwine was recently recoloured in the James Dunlop studio, developing the palette to include Blush, Terracotta, and Riverstone, favouring the return of complex earthy tones and the shades of brown we are increasingly nostalgic for and find in abundance outdoors.

Minimal, organic homewares in earthen shades accessorized the settings, although the key to each frame and the Homestead and Solstice collections remains the expansive vistas beyond the windows.