- 6 weeks ago
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00:00From the windswept cliffs of Australia's coastline
00:07To the ancient silence of the New Zealand bush
00:19I'll venture to places where the landscape still calls the shots
00:23Every decision is shaped by the elements
00:33And the isolation look how beautiful this is that is unbelievable
00:42What I've discovered isn't just clever design
00:47It's passion. This is a healing house. It's like our marriage
00:52It's creativity
00:54Looks like some alien ship that's landed from outer space
01:00And it's survival on an island that doesn't have a corner store. You can't just shoot down and get a little side of something
01:09Because out here
01:11You need a different kind of person
01:16Definitely friends
01:18Daring
01:19I want Pat's house. I want her house. I want her shower, and I want her bathtub
01:25Innoverative
01:28And deeply connected to the land they live on
01:31My grandfather must have
01:33My grandfather must have really loved my grandmother to have built a room like this for her
01:40Should we move on? Because we're going to cry
01:46Join me, George Clarke, and together we'll discover some of New Zealand and Australia's wildest halls
01:52Talk about a gorgeous day and stunning location for a scenic flight
02:13I'm at the top of New Zealand's South Island, about to explore the Marlborough sounds
02:24A network of river valleys that sank into the sea millions of years ago
02:30What they left behind is a dramatic landscape that I've heard it's nothing short of magnificent
02:40And today I'm feeling very excited
02:43Because as well as experience in the Marlborough sounds for the very first time
02:47I'm going to see a refurbished barn. That's in one of the most remote and wildest parts of this beautiful country
02:56Lifting all the things that's lining up from one to four
03:08Local pilot Neil knows the Marlborough region like the back of his hands
03:14World renowned for its wine and the breathtaking beauty of the Marlborough sounds I can't wait to take it all in from a bird's-eye view
03:26Beneath us, vineyards stretch out like an intricate patchwork
03:34Tell you what, you're not going to have much shortage of wine in this region, are you?
03:41Soon we're over Picton, a gorgeous little poor town, hugging the water's edge
03:49Absolutely fantastic
03:50This is the last time I'm going to see civilization for a while
03:58Because I'm heading out into the wild untamed coastline ahead of me
04:03This intricate landscape of twisting headlands, tucked away coves and scattered islands, is simply mesmerizing
04:24And feels like it goes on forever
04:26I
04:28What a fantastic way to see the Marlborough sounds
04:33That's breathtaking
04:38It is quite lovely, isn't it?
04:40I feel like a lucky boy today
04:44I'm already completely blown away by the sheer beauty of this stunning region and my journey's only just begun
04:52Because just ahead, lies my first destination
04:57Because just ahead, lies my first destination
05:03Adder Power Island is one of the more remote spots out here
05:07It's the second largest island in the Marlborough sounds
05:10And its east coast faces Cook Strait
05:13The stretch of ocean that separates New Zealand's North and South Islands
05:17Today, it might look calm, but don't let that fool you
05:22This is one of the most unpredictable and unforgiving pieces of sea anywhere in the world
05:32Adder Power is about the same size as a London borough
05:35But only around 50 people live here
05:38The barn renovation that I've come to see
05:43It's just down there
05:45It's just down there
05:47What a way to arrive
05:50Woohoo!
05:51Woohoo!
05:52Woohoo!
05:53Woohoo!
05:54Woohoo!
05:59The exhilaration of that flight
06:01Soaring over that absolutely spectacular landscape
06:06I'm completely floored
06:09I copy that
06:13Thanks very much Ray
06:14I really appreciate it
06:15No worries
06:16Take care, look after yourself
06:22This incredible barn has a perfect balance of rugged charm and stylish design
06:28Tucked away in the bush-covered hills
06:31Tucked away in the bush-covered hills
06:33Tucked away in the bush-covered hills
06:35And just a stone's throw from the quiet bay
06:38It feels totally secluded
06:43Like you're completely wrapped in nature
06:47In nature
06:53Greeting me at the gate is David
06:55Who bought this plot of land when he was 27
06:58And now shares it with his partner Sarah Jane
07:02I think that's one of the greatest arrivals I've ever done at anyone's house in my life
07:07I'll tell you what, that journey
07:09I got quite emotional it was that beautiful
07:12And what a house
07:14It's fantastic
07:15How much land have you got?
07:1830 hectares, 70 acres.
07:20It goes right to the top of the hill.
07:22All the way to the top of that?
07:23Top of the hill.
07:24Oh my God.
07:25It was grassland when we first got it.
07:27It was grazed, heavily grazed.
07:29But we've let it regenerate and planted.
07:31So now it's regenerating native fish.
07:36A landscape restoration project.
07:38Basically.
07:39That slice of land is your slice of paradise.
07:43It is.
07:44I thoroughly enjoy it too.
07:47Built by David, the original barn was a simple structure
07:51designed to weather the tough coastal conditions.
07:55It doubled as both a basic dwelling and a shed for David's mussel farming gear.
08:02It was rough and ready.
08:05Motorbikes, tractors, boats, mussel buoys, ropes.
08:10More a man's shed than that.
08:11A man's shed.
08:13Definitely.
08:14Because you were a fish and trawler man.
08:16Yeah, fisherman basically.
08:17I'd just come back here, you know, huddled down after a hard three months at sea and things like that.
08:22So you've turned a rough and ready shed into a beautiful new house.
08:27More Sir James.
08:28More Sir James.
08:29She's come along 15 years ago and basically changed it.
08:34Colours, all the rooms.
08:36It's a whole lot.
08:38Yeah.
08:39And she's been the kind of designer and the interior designer.
08:42Absolutely.
08:43I'll do some of the work.
08:44I'll be pointed, you know, this and that and it'll get done.
08:48Yeah, yeah, yeah.
08:49But it's all her work basically, yeah.
08:51And I'm intrigued.
08:52Why did you buy in this location?
08:54I mean, I can see why.
08:56Because it's outstandingly beautiful.
08:59But why here in this part of New Zealand?
09:01You'll sit down to some crayfish.
09:05I've been diving since I was 15.
09:07I'm still diving.
09:08Went out on Tuesday.
09:10Diving was one of the calls here and, like, it's stunning.
09:14It's to die for.
09:17I'm already completely under the spell of this untamed island.
09:22And I'm about to meet the creative force who's transformed David's no-nonsense barn.
09:30Sarah Jane.
09:31Hello.
09:32Lovely to meet you.
09:33How are you?
09:34Great.
09:35Into a home that's bursting with character.
09:41This is fantastic.
09:46I'm assuming it didn't look like this when you saw it, Sarah Jane.
09:50Not so much.
09:51It was tractors, boats and tolls for Africa.
09:56How long did it take you to get on like it?
09:5915 years to get all the gear out and turn it into an ice hole.
10:03Yeah.
10:04He's built himself a big shed up yonder with all his bits and bobs.
10:07How did you film it when everything was taken out?
10:09Were you all right?
10:10I protested along the way.
10:13He did go to sea for like three months at a time.
10:15Things would change.
10:16Yeah, absolutely.
10:17I say that's the good thing about him going out to sea, isn't it?
10:20He goes off for three months and you can just get rid of some stuff.
10:24And I love the space that you've turned it into because it still feels agricultural and barn-like, but still has a homely feel to it.
10:34Should we have a little wander around and you can prep the crayfish?
10:36I will.
10:37Should we do that?
10:38After you, Sergeant.
10:40Oh, this is very nice.
10:43So we're going into the kitchen, obviously the heart of the home.
10:47Oh, it's so good.
10:53It's so good.
10:59Do you know what the sign of a really beautiful space is when you just feel good?
11:03When you walk into it, it just feels right.
11:06You've literally waved a very beautiful magic wand over the old man shed and turned it into a wonderful home.
11:14You have?
11:15I love these green tiles.
11:18Well, colour isn't really my thing, but it was informed by the Essie.
11:23Was that there already?
11:24That was there and everything's kind of been built around it.
11:27And given the height, it felt really appropriate to take the shelving up high and then, you know, just fill it with fabulous stuff.
11:37Well, you've certainly filled it with fabulous stuff.
11:45It's like being in the gallery.
11:47No, it is.
11:49Everything's been very carefully selected.
11:52Carefully organised.
11:54Considered.
11:56And what was it like before? Be honest. He's not here now, you can be very honest.
12:03It was tight. This was a kitchen, living and dining. So the extension has moved all the living into that way.
12:10That extension makes an enormous difference, doesn't it? Because you've now got a bigger kitchen, nice dining area, and it opens out beautifully to the back of the house.
12:21Oh, I've got photos. Do you want to have a look?
12:23Yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:25This is photographs of what it was like before.
12:28It was the quintessential barn.
12:32And it was red.
12:34Yeah, it only went black last year. That's how long it took.
12:36It may have taken her 15 years of patient persuasion, but Sarah Jane has completely transformed the humble original barn inside and out, turning it into an elegant modern home with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
13:02Every inch of it has been touched by Sarah Jane's creativity.
13:09And your artwork, I have to say, whoever did all of this is very talented.
13:15That one there, I noticed when I walked in, is very beautiful.
13:20Who did all these?
13:22I did that one, and these are somewhere around the corner.
13:26You did that?
13:28I shouldn't sound so surprised.
13:29Hand on heart, when I walked in, that really caught my eye.
13:32That's a really beautiful piece.
13:34Look at it, you've got all modest, look at it, you've got all shy, you've got red.
13:36That's adorable.
13:38You've got the same colour as the original barn.
13:41Look.
13:42Should we see some more?
13:43Yeah.
13:44Come on, let's quickly move on.
13:48So this is the upper level of the original barn.
13:53Yep.
13:55You've got no shortage of living rooms, have you?
13:57No.
13:59It's beautiful.
14:05That room used to house all the muscle floats and ropes, and you could open up those doors and just lift it all out.
14:12The windows were a lot smaller, probably about that size, to be fair.
14:19Oh, really?
14:20Well, it's nice that you opened them up, because it's a beautiful view.
14:23It is.
14:24Over the garden at the back, and it just transforms the space, doesn't it?
14:27How would you describe David, and what it was like taking this project on with him?
14:34Well, he's a salty old sea dog.
14:36He took me to an island, and I'll tell you what, if I didn't love this place, he would have given me the flick.
14:41Are you being serious about that?
14:42I am being serious about that.
14:44I mean, it really was his place to be, and I had to kind of love it as much as I loved him, which is luckily I did.
14:53That's lovely.
14:55He's a very lucky man, and it's lovely that you fell in love with the place, and you've turned it into the most fantastic home.
15:03Living in such a remote retreat means the barn house needs to be self-sufficient, and a bank of solar panels on the roof of a nearby shed generate its electricity.
15:19The property has an orchard, a greenhouse, a well-tended vegetable garden, and David's hunting and fishing supplement the couple's food supply.
15:29David, this is a feast. Look at that. It looks absolutely fantastic.
15:38Sarah-Jane lovingly called you the salty sea dog.
15:42But you're quite a romantic salty sea dog, aren't you? You've got a real love for the place.
15:47Oh, yes. I don't think I ever need to travel. I've done enough of that in my life. I don't need to go anywhere. I'm quite happy here.
15:55And as a location, it can become very wild.
15:57Very wild. It's cooked straight. It's got a reputation. There's no denying it.
16:00It's a dangerous place in the wrong time. It's definitely a dangerous place in the wrong time.
16:06Even yesterday, you've got 35, 40 knots of wind southerly, and that can happen at any time, and quickly too. Surprisingly quickly.
16:13It must be pretty scary sometimes.
16:16I think it's stimulating. The wind's part of life, and it's fresh, it's clean.
16:21It makes you feel more connected with nature and the landscape, even when it is tough.
16:27Oh, yes. Definitely.
16:29You know, when you get a good day, you really appreciate it.
16:32And what's it like being here together, in this beautiful location?
16:34Well, we both love it.
16:36We do.
16:37Yeah.
16:38The rhythms and the seasons.
16:39There's not a chance anyone's going to turn up, so you can be whatever.
16:44We like that.
16:47You've got everything you need.
16:50Beautiful landscape, beautiful home, and a gorgeous location.
16:54And you've got Sarah Jane.
16:56Come on, mate. You've struck gold.
16:58Definitely.
17:00Well, I'll drink to that. I'll drink to both of you.
17:02Cheers.
17:04Let's raise a glass of Mother Nature as well. She's all right.
17:06That's your backyard.
17:16I'm out on the water in the majestic Marlborough Sounds, heading off to explore another wild island home.
17:34But before we get there, I'm going on a bit of a detour.
17:38Skipper Pete's family have lived in the Sounds for seven generations.
17:44And he wants to show me this ancient landscape from a different vantage point.
17:51We're at the entrance to the Tory Channel.
17:54A place of special significance to the original inhabitants of this abundant landscape.
18:01The old people referred to the Sounds as if it was a living entity.
18:10That the Sounds was their mother, she gave them birth, she fed them, she shelved them, and protected them.
18:17And this channel over here is very important to Māori.
18:24Kore te au, Māori call it.
18:27Because of the way that the tide floods in from Tory Channel and brings with it lots of zooplankton and phytoplankton,
18:35the fishing in there was amazing.
18:38It was like a market garden, you know.
18:41And so they kind of referred to that as if it was the mother's womb.
18:46That's all pretty amazing stuff, isn't it?
18:49That's a powerful connection between us as humans, the land, the sea, everything.
18:54It's quite beautiful actually.
18:57Ah. Special.
19:01And it's not just the incredible myths surrounding this place that have shifted my perspective.
19:09We're getting closer to Cook Strait.
19:11Named after Captain James Cook, whose voyages famously led them to these waters in the late 18th century.
19:20The winds properly picked up, the sea started to churn, and I'm getting my first real taste of just how wild and unpredictable the sounds can be.
19:31It really hits you just how tough it must have been for the Māori and early European sailors.
19:42Even for a North East lad from England.
19:45That's wild.
19:47Whoa!
19:48Thankfully, it's time for Pete to guide us back to calmer waters.
20:01And for me to discover my next wild and wonderfully remote home.
20:05Governor's Bay is an idyllic spot tucked away at the sheltered end of Queen Charlotte Sound.
20:19And that's where I'm heading for my next rendezvous.
20:22And while I'm definitely relieved to be back in such serene surroundings, I'll admit I don't know quite what to expect.
20:35I'm a little bit nervous today because the crew have got a habit of springing the odd surprise on me.
20:42And they've said that rather than me going to visit an island home, the house is going to come to me.
20:52Oh!
21:10Ahoy!
21:12Ahoy, me hearty!
21:15Friend or fun?
21:18Definitely friend.
21:20Don't shoot me.
21:23For the past six years, marine mechanic Ben and his pirate wife Lisa...
21:32What an arrival!
21:34...have called this remarkable ship their full-time home.
21:40I'd say it's gone back in time.
21:41Yeah.
21:42It is.
21:43Yeah.
21:44Black Hawk is a Donovan 45 schooner.
21:51A faithful replica of an 18th century tall ship.
21:56And she's absolutely stunning.
21:58With incredibly detailed traditional craftsmanship and a touch of swashbuckling flair.
22:06She's everything a pair of mischievous South Sea Pirates could dream of.
22:12They've even got a couple of loyal canine crew members along for the ride.
22:19Hello there.
22:21Look at you, you're so gorgeous.
22:23What a house you've got here.
22:25Is that a real skeleton?
22:29Um, plastic.
22:31I'm glad you said that.
22:32I thought that might have been one of your victims.
22:34Scurvy.
22:35That's scurvy!
22:36That's scurvy!
22:37This is scurvy!
22:39He's having a beer.
22:42You've got a very beautiful pirate ship.
22:43You've got your beautiful pirate costumes.
22:45I'm well impressed.
22:47How on earth did all of this come about?
22:50Well, it's a very long story, but I'll try and keep it short.
22:55We had a normal house, mortgage, the same as everybody else.
22:59But my good wife here has got gypsy blood in her.
23:01And she spotted a bus one day, an SP3 Bedford.
23:05Great kids.
23:06And she talked me into it and moved me into the bus.
23:09And did you move into it permanently?
23:11We had our three children in the bus as well.
23:14As well.
23:15We talked about it with the kids.
23:16We decided we'd try it for a year, see how everyone liked it.
23:20Three years later, the kids said, no, we love this, you know.
23:24We don't want to go back to a house.
23:25We sold the house and we set off to the South Island.
23:29But that's a big, big move.
23:30Yeah.
23:31It was a risk.
23:32It was huge.
23:33It's an adventure.
23:34Yeah.
23:35And we ended up buying a boat.
23:36Buying a boat.
23:37An ordinary boat.
23:38Yep.
23:39An ordinary boat.
23:40It was the step.
23:41We explored the sounds and absolutely loved it.
23:44And we'd seen this boat years ago.
23:46And I'd always admired it.
23:47Always admired it.
23:48Oh, did you?
23:49You always had your eyes on it.
23:51It turned up for sale.
23:52And the first thing Ben said was, hey, have a look at this.
23:56Would we be the best grandparents or what?
23:59Yeah.
24:00Because we've got grandkids now too.
24:02I mean, any grandchild is going to find this beyond magical.
24:06Oh yeah.
24:07That's right.
24:08Yeah.
24:09Yeah.
24:10So what's it like living on a pirate ship, day to day, season to season?
24:15For the most part, absolutely wonderful.
24:19Like you have to make sacrifices with anything that you do.
24:22You can have storms coming through.
24:24And in this part of the sounds, you can get really scary.
24:27Oh, some good ones.
24:28You can hear it coming.
24:30And yeah, you think, oh no, here we go.
24:32But thankfully in this boat, because she is heavy and solid, she doesn't move that much.
24:42And what's the best part about having your home on a pirate ship?
24:46You're free.
24:49No rates.
24:52No power.
24:53We do pirate party themes and that sort of thing.
24:56Have a barbecue on the beach with friends and a few rums.
25:00And if we don't feel like seeing people one weekend, we can go off somewhere else where there's no houses,
25:05no beaches that have got road access or anything like that.
25:09And yeah, go and hide away.
25:13I've only just stepped aboard Blackhawk, but already I can feel the infectious,
25:18free-roaming spirit that Lisa and Ben bring to their life at sea.
25:23I can't wait to see what else they and their pirate ship have got in store.
25:29I'm in the breathtakingly beautiful Marlborough sounds.
25:47On board Blackhawk, a real gem of a replica 18th century pirate ship.
25:56Where my adventure-loving hosts, Lisa and Ben, live full-time.
26:08It's a proper stunner of a day.
26:10And Lisa's just nipped below deck to swap her pirate gear for something a little more suited to the blazing heat.
26:22Lisa and Ben could have bought any boat.
26:25But buying a pirate ship is just fantastic. It's so exciting.
26:28And they've got everything.
26:30Look, solar panels, they're fully off-grid.
26:32They're very self-sufficient.
26:34An enormous mast.
26:36The skull and crossbones flag at the top.
26:39I mean, that must be super cool putting that up there.
26:42Look, they've even got a little mini garden.
26:46To have a deck like this and a backyard like that.
26:54It's just fantastic.
27:00George!
27:02Hello, hello.
27:03So you all changed?
27:04Yes, thank you.
27:05Can I come down?
27:06Come on in.
27:07I love this sign.
27:08It's a salty pirate lives here with his beautiful mermaid.
27:12Perfect.
27:13You have got a proper old-school wheelhouse.
27:18Yes.
27:19It's proper vintage in here, isn't it?
27:21It is.
27:22And it's like stepping back in time.
27:24It's beautiful.
27:25Some of the details are fantastic, actually.
27:27Yeah.
27:28We love the woodwork in here.
27:29Those lovely little brackets and details you've got up there.
27:32And the wheel itself.
27:34Yeah.
27:35It's majestic, that.
27:36And you've packed it out.
27:38Oh, yeah.
27:39With everything.
27:40I mean, it feels like a garden, like an oasis in here.
27:43You've even got a parrot.
27:45I know.
27:46That's Eric.
27:47Eric the parrot.
27:48Did you talk?
27:49Oh, yes.
27:50He's got a quite extensive...
27:53What was that?
27:57Come on, Eric.
27:58What did you say?
28:01Eric, ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rum.
28:08Eric, can you say island life?
28:12It's gone camera shy.
28:15Come on, Eric.
28:19He said no, where's the rum?
28:24Right, so you've got your parrot.
28:29It's not taking interviews.
28:30You've got your beautiful wheelhouse.
28:32Can we see some more?
28:33Absolutely.
28:34Go on, after you.
28:35Follow me.
28:36It's beautifully done, I have to say.
28:38I love it.
28:39It's packed with character.
28:43And what room have we got here?
28:44We have the saloon.
28:46Oh, I just made a pirate noise there.
28:48I didn't even realise.
28:49Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
28:51Oh, captain.
28:55It is literally like being in the captain's cabin.
28:57I mean, that detail layer of the glazing.
29:00It's fabulous.
29:01Definitely.
29:02And then you've got a wood burner, which I'm assuming belts the heat out during the cold
29:06months.
29:07Oh, absolutely, absolutely.
29:08What have you got through there?
29:09What's that?
29:10That's a freezer.
29:11You've got a freezer in there as well.
29:12Yeah, yeah.
29:13Talk about a multifunctional, well-planned, open space that does everything you need when
29:18all the family are coming out.
29:20Oh, yeah, definitely.
29:21Your family must absolutely love it.
29:23Oh, yes, they do.
29:24Yeah.
29:25Tell you what?
29:26It's hot, though.
29:27It is.
29:28It's really hot.
29:29Would you like a little drink?
29:31Or a proper pirate's welcome?
29:34What's a proper pirate's welcome?
29:36A little bit of rum.
29:37Oh, my God.
29:42Hang on, what time is it?
29:43And a crackin'.
29:45Jo, before we have a rum, which I will have, can I go and check out the cabins while you
29:50prep the drink?
29:51Absolutely.
29:52I will do the drink.
29:53Can we do that?
29:54You go and help yourself.
29:55Great.
30:00So this is the freezer that Lisa was talking about, which is enormous.
30:05Then you step down into this tiny little room, which has got actually everything in it.
30:09You've got a sink, washing machine, full utility space.
30:12Then we get through to the cabins.
30:14Bunk bed, beautiful timber detail on the edge of the bunks.
30:18And even round the doors.
30:19Look at that.
30:20Toilet, shower, another bed.
30:23Bed and hair.
30:25And then you come through to another set of bunks.
30:33This place sleeps 11 people.
30:36And I have to say, every single room has been designed so beautifully to maximise every square
30:43millimetre possible.
30:44And it's been detailed in the most elegant maritime way.
30:48I'll tell you what, it's hot though.
30:50But luckily, there's a rather unique way to cool off on this extraordinary ship.
31:05Whoo-hoo-hoo!
31:06Land ahoy!
31:08He does it well.
31:09Which way?
31:10Starboard, I think.
31:11Is that the right way?
31:12Not quite, but close enough.
31:13This is so beautiful.
31:14Taking in the sublime beauty of the Marlborough Sounds from the rigging of a pirate ship is something I never imagined I'd get the chance to do.
31:27It's the stuff of childhood dreams.
31:44But of course, what goes up must come down.
31:48And I'm soon being put in my place by the unpredictable captain of this one-of-a-kind floating home.
31:56It is time for you to walk the plank.
32:02Oh my god, can I, I thought I was getting a rum.
32:04Come on, if I'm a dying man, I need a rum first, just to kind of...
32:08We'll give you a rum.
32:10One, two, bye everyone.
32:13Bye!
32:21Island life!
32:26God, that rum was good!
32:28Ha ha ha ha!
32:29If there's one thing I've discovered during my time exploring the magical Marlborough Sounds, it's that this place is full of surprises.
32:50Around every twist and turn of its rolling forested coastline, there's always something unexpected.
33:05And I've been told that there is one architectural gem here that I shouldn't miss.
33:12So today I'm heading to Waterfall Bay, which is in the Queen Charlotte Sound, to see an incredible house that's very much led by its wild surroundings.
33:22Waterfall Bay is just a short 30-minute boat ride from Picton, the main port in the Marlborough Sounds.
33:37But arriving here feels like stepping into another world, or even another time.
33:52There's barely a sign of human presence, just the gentle lapping of the water and hills thick with ancient forests.
34:00This multi-award winning home was built in 2004 for celebrated New Zealand cinematographer Michael Saracen.
34:17And you can see why he chose this spot. The setting is nothing short of spectacular.
34:29And while there's an undeniable drama to the location, the house itself is beautifully understated.
34:37There's a real calmness about it, a kind of quiet confidence, like it was always meant to be here.
34:55And I'm in for a treat today, because here to give me a tour is its architect, Pete Bosley.
35:01G'day, George. How are you doing?
35:05Pete, very nice to meet you. How are you, sir?
35:07Welcome. Come on, George.
35:08Oh, you've led me aboard perfectly, thank you.
35:10Look at that.
35:12That's great. What a lovely house.
35:13The vegetation.
35:14Yeah, it is.
35:16And I love the way that that section of the building is kind of on these beautiful, big timber props that are not vertical.
35:23They're all at different angles, just kind of blending in with the trees.
35:26Well, there was that idea of getting it up amongst the trees.
35:29But also, the client was based in London when we designed the house.
35:33And it seemed like he was neither here nor there, because he was partly New Zealand, partly in the UK.
35:39So I gave him a bedroom, which was on legs, that looked a little bit wobblier, so it hadn't quite arrived.
35:45He was about to leave.
35:47I love that.
35:48A bit of building that might just walk off and take itself somewhere else in the world.
35:52Just like the client.
35:54Yeah, he was working all over the world on movies, and he would call me at one o'clock in the morning and say,
36:00Pete, Pete, I found this fantastic light somewhere in Minnesota or somewhere.
36:05And he'd say, what do you think about these lights?
36:07And I was saying, it's one o'clock, I don't actually care.
36:10You probably did when you woke up though.
36:14Oh, absolutely.
36:15It was great times.
36:16It was good.
36:18Can we have a closer look?
36:19Absolutely.
36:20Let's go up.
36:22Yeah, I love the way that you weave round to the door.
36:25Oh, what an entrance hall that is.
36:35That's magnificent, isn't it?
36:38It really blurs the lines between nature and architecture.
36:43It does.
36:44We wanted it to feel as though it was part of the forest outside.
36:48And the big timbers are recycled timber from Ataiko bridges.
36:53All recycled bridge timbers?
36:55All of these big heavy ones?
36:56Yeah.
36:57So the ones that you've got outside?
36:58These are old holes from the original bridge construction.
37:01And the really nice thing about it, the spaces are very modern,
37:04but the materials gave it a sense of having been here for a long time the day that the client moved in.
37:10I love that.
37:11It was very, very satisfying.
37:13I love that.
37:14You've turned a bit of a bridge into a house.
37:16I mean, that's kind of mad, isn't it, when you think about it?
37:18Yeah, yeah, it's nice, isn't it?
37:25You've got this lovely detail where the horizontal timbers are just nestled into the verticals.
37:30Yeah.
37:31And then come up with this beautiful double diamond detail.
37:34Yeah.
37:35To hide those fixings and cover it in a little sheet of copper.
37:39The builder added the little diamond shapes.
37:41They are his contribution.
37:43That was the builder's idea?
37:45Yeah.
37:46Yeah.
37:47I came down one day and he'd done it.
37:48And I thought it was unique and it suited the house really well.
37:52Should we move on?
37:53Well, yes, the staircase, it didn't have a balustrade for about ten years,
37:56because it was so nice without one, floating in space.
38:01Beautiful handrail.
38:04And so the stairs lead us up to this rather lovely living area.
38:20Rather lovely living area, that's understatement of the millennium.
38:25You've got this beautiful kitchen, dining area, and then those windows just fall back and again connect the house with nature in the most elegant way.
38:37And a lot of timber to make it really warm, comfortable, and a lot of variety in the materials.
38:43There's slight variations in the timber, but it's like being in a forest, isn't it?
38:49Yeah, absolutely.
38:50When you're in a forest, you've got variation in timber.
38:52Yeah.
38:53Working in harmony together, it becomes one, and you've done that in an architectural built form.
39:00Yeah, and that's the beautiful thing about timber.
39:02They are natural and they do all tend to go together very well.
39:08There's even a timber kitchen sink.
39:11Oh, is there?
39:13Is there?
39:14Which the owner found from a company in Devon, who's been making them since 1476 or something.
39:20And so there's a lot of wood.
39:23They pushed really hard to make the house an organic house.
39:26It's got no formaldehydes, it's all organic plywoods and natural timbers, recycled woods.
39:32It was a very low carbon footprint, very sustainable house.
39:35To do something this contemporary and this modern, probably that ecological, back when you did it, is really pioneering.
39:42It's a very enjoyable process.
39:47What a space.
39:49It's absolutely spectacular in a quiet way.
39:54Wait.
39:55Shh.
40:02This is quite a beautiful moment in the house because you leave the kitchen, diner and living room behind and you journey to the master suite.
40:10And the ground rises up and twists and turns and you've got all of this amazing glass connecting you to all the bush outside.
40:20It just emphasises how well this building's connected to the landscape.
40:26And after that wonderful mini journey, you arrive at the main bedroom suite and it's absolutely spectacular.
40:41You've got beautiful views over the sea.
40:44You've got a lovely view back to the house all the way through the kitchen, diner and living space.
40:49You've got a corner fire, the kind of focus of the room.
40:53I'll tell you what, as a piece of design, this place is timeless.
40:59With three bedrooms and four bathrooms, there's plenty of room for guests here.
41:11And down on the lower level of the main house, the sense of elegant calm continues.
41:18You've got these floor to ceiling glazed panels running down one side of the guest suites.
41:28They don't just let the light flood in, they continue the beautiful, seamless connection between the cosy interior and the forest outside.
41:40It turns the whole space into a peaceful retreat that's completely in tune with its environment.
41:51It's absolutely gorgeous.
42:02When you designed this house, how much were you thinking about its wild location and the fact that it's so exposed?
42:09Well, a lot because sitting here all year round and battered by winds and rain and cold.
42:15So it had to support the people who are in the space and keep them sheltered and warm and nurtured.
42:23And comfortable.
42:24And comfortable.
42:28As an architect, how proud are you of this house?
42:31I really, really love this house.
42:33It's a special house.
42:34And it's so nice to come back to it and see that it is loved by the people who live here and that it loves them.
42:46I can honestly say, hand on heart, even though this house is still relatively new, it's 20 odd years old, you've created an absolute design classic.
42:59Really.
43:00Thank you very much.
43:01Thank you very much.
43:02I appreciate it.
43:03And it's going to get better and better with age.
43:06Yes, I hope so.
43:07I think it is.
43:08Just like us, Pete.
43:09Just like us.
43:10As you can imagine, I've seen some incredible houses in my time, but this one is at another level.
43:23Why?
43:24Because it doesn't just work with nature.
43:25Because it doesn't just work with nature, it's actually subservient to mother nature.
43:31It lets the landscape and all the trees completely dominate.
43:35And the architecture just sits there, quietly and gently amongst it.
43:41It's beyond amazing.
43:43Look at that.
43:45The heavens have opened.
43:46It's truly wild.
43:48The Marlborough Sounds is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to in my life.
44:03Of course it's got thousands of kilometres of coastline, rugged terrain and a fascinating history, but it's the way people choose to live here that completely fascinates me.
44:18Some live on boats, some are hidden away in secretive bays and inlets, and others, well they choose to face the elements full on.
44:39But what brings them and their homes together in perfect harmony is a deep love and appreciation of nature.
45:09Life's easier to spend,ctic city, and elsewhere.
45:22So, we make these things a world like a miracle.
45:31So, we're otting a relationship with nature.
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