Whangarei: Cornish-style tradition

Strawbale homes are not your everyday find in New Zealand. VICKI HOLDER discovers a gem of an example of this traditional Cornish building method.

Making a new start and embarking on a new business venture in another country is daunting enough for some. Others, like Simon and Lorna Clowes from Cornwall, England, have gone several steps further, proving the pioneering spirit is alive and kicking by becoming hands-on builders of their own house using a traditional strawbale construction method.

Simon and Lorna were drawn to the Waitakere Ranges on the west coast in 1996. While they lived there, they opened their beauty therapy training school in the summer of 1998. They married at Piha the following year when their training school was already growing in size and reputation.

In January 2001, the business expansion allowed them to follow their dreams and move to the Whangarei Coast, where they bought a coastal block of land in the hills overlooking Ngunguru Bay. The same year, their daughter, Caja Jean, was born. As a young family they spent their first six months living on their land in a caravan while Simon worked hands-on as a project manager, building what would become a truly unique home.

The couple sought a place from which to explore the Tutukaka Coast's pohutukawa-lined bays and the many leisure activities on offer. They also wanted to enjoy the tranquillity of the area's outstanding native scenery.

Simon says the time spent building the home was a real learning experience for he built it of strawbale, reminiscent of the traditional Cornish Cob homes back in England. He says strawbale buildings are popping up all over the world, because they offer many superior qualities.

"Strawbale buildings have beautiful thick walls which feel warm and safe and filter light gently from the outdoors," he says. "And they don't just feel safe, they are non-toxic, fire-resistant and strong. They don't just feel warm, they are warm. Plastered bales combine high thermal insulation with thermal mass for outstanding performance and comfort. And they really are cool - really cool in summer and really warm in winter."

They also provide a good foundation for passive solar design. The somewhat irregular, undulating walls add texture and interest to the wall of any building and are suited to traditional building styles.

Simon explains the construction involved building a post and beam timber frame filled with strawbale, which was then plastered. The timber was sourced from a local sawmill. Oversized rough sawn macrocarpa and large square saligna posts support lintels on door openings featuring cedar bifold joinery in the living area.

Strawbale external walls were built on a timber plinth made of two stringers and the timber floor forms a raised foundation for the bales. Walls were compressed using a tension wire laced below the plinth floor. Bales were laid in a brick bond pattern and trued up with a large mallet to eliminate bulges. Finally the sides were trimmed with a pair of hedge clippers.

Lime plaster was applied inside and out, providing a long-term stable surface.

Designed in dramatic Tuscan style with a New Zealand flavour, every room of the house embraces the great outdoors and has commanding views of the Pacific Ocean, Ngunguru Bay and Great Barrier and Mokohenau Islands.

The home has four spacious double bedrooms, two with en suites, as well as a family bathroom and a study or library. The master bedroom is a sanctuary with a free-standing bath positioned to appreciate the views.

The modern kitchen in the centre of the home has views out to sea from the sink bench. Bifold windows open to a servery in the courtyard where the couple likes to entertain around the barbecue. Large and fresh, it has clean, European lines with polished concrete benchtops. It revolves around a central island, which is great for food preparation as well as a point for social interaction. The kitchen flows into the open-plan living area where a central double-sided fireplace separates the lounge from the formal dining area.

The large property on rolling hills encompasses landscaped gardens and native bush, as well as young timber and olive trees.

After all their hard work, Simon and Lorna have chosen to sell their training schools to focus on their next lifetime adventure, leaving this beautiful environment for another family's pleasure.

Vital Statistics

ADDRESS: Pukenui Rd, Ngunguru, Tutukaka Coast, Whangarei.

FEATURES: Strawbale house on coastal lifestyle property with views over Ngunguru Bay, Great Barrier and Mokohenau Islands; Tuscan-style home built with non-toxic materials; four bedrooms; two en suites plus family bathroom; study/library; double-side fireplace between dining and living area; landscaped gardens.

SIZE: Floor area 380sq m, land area 14.1 ha.

TENDER CLOSES: 4pm, July 23.

AGENTS: John Ledingham and Simon Clowes, Bayleys, Whangarei. Ph 09 438 2715 bus; 021 786 629 mob; Simon 027 286 7515 mob.