Auckland

Broadened Horizons

Architect

My Umbrella

Builder

Moore Quality Building

Location

Auckland

Completed

2025

Project type

Residential

Profile

E Random

Colour

Dulux Duratec Textured Canvas Cloth

Designing for the view. Specifying for the exposure.

On the clifftop at Cockle Bay, the qualities that make the site so compelling are also those that place the greatest demands on the building envelope.

The home opens extensively towards the Hauraki Gulf, using glazing, terraces and long sightlines to make the coastal outlook part of the everyday experience. That proximity comes with exposure. Salt-laden air travels directly from the water and up the cliff face, making durability and future maintenance important considerations in the exterior material strategy.

For My Umbrella and Moore Quality Building, the response brings together a restrained architectural palette with materials selected to perform in a demanding coastal environment.

Architecture drawn to the water

The relationship with the Hauraki Gulf is established throughout the plan.

Expansive glazing keeps the horizon present across the primary living spaces, while terraces extend occupation towards the edge of the site. In the main suite, wraparound glazing takes advantage of the elevated position and opens the interior further to the outlook.

The interior palette is deliberately restrained. Pale stone, warm timber veneer and crisp white surfaces create a quiet backdrop to the changing colour, light and movement beyond the glass.

It is an architecture that draws much of its character from what sits outside it.

Exposure as a design consideration

Coastal architecture presents a particular contradiction. Greater connection to the environment can also mean greater exposure to it.

At Cockle Bay, the elevated clifftop position leaves the exterior directly exposed to salt-laden air and demanding weather conditions. Material selection therefore needed to consider not only initial appearance, but durability, maintenance requirements and the practicalities of future intervention.

Aluminium is used extensively across the exterior, establishing a material approach suited to the conditions while supporting the clean architectural language of the home.

Nu Wall offered the balance we were looking for between architectural expression and long-term practicality. The random-width profiles allowed us to capture the natural variation of the surrounding landscape, while the durability and low-maintenance qualities of aluminium made it a considered choice for the coastal setting.

Zayd Ali - Director, My Umbrella

Discover more

Explore finishes that enhance appearance, durability and long-term performance.

High-performance cladding systems designed for the demands of commercial architecture.

We're here to help. Connect with our team about cladding, colour, specification or technical advice today.

Sign up to our
Newsletter