FLOCKHILL by Warren and Mahoney

Flanked by mountains, nestled into limestone rock formations and looking across Lake Pearson to a perfectly symmetrical view of Sugarloaf Mountain is FLOCKHILL Homestead.

The homestead is designed to be rented out by single parties of up to eight, this includes a private chef who concocts adaptable dinners, made from locally sourced ingredients, offering a tasting tour of New Zealand produce. The wine cellar is stacked with Central Otago pinot noirs and Marlborough sauvignon blancs, the liquor cabinet has an assortment of locally distilled gins and whiskies, truffles come from growers in Canterbury and mânuka honey, sourced from the farm itself, lends sweetness to both dishes and drinks. Further plans are underway to expand Flockhill's luxury accommodation, including building 14 new villas and a spa that will host a three-month revolving door of practitioners. Within the next two years, the owners will open a dedicated restaurant, with its own gardens and greenhouses from which to source seasonal produce.

"We had this incredible history of how the site had been inhabited previously - hundreds of years ago - alongside the environmental considerations associated with an alpine environment. We wanted to create something that could provide a sense of safety and retreat from the mountainous elements while still feeling fully immersed in the landscape, says project principal Jonathan Coote. "The simple pitched roof form is a reference to the agricultural use of the area and the utilitarian but beautiful farm structures and sheds that dot the local landscape. It gives the building a sense of lightness and connection externally and texture and warmth internally. It also enhances the experience of the 'weight' of the limestone elements.

- via Warren and Mahoney

Interior by Jessica Close
Photographed by Barry Tobin