Alpine Terrace House is a minimalist home located in Wakatipu Basin, New Zealand, designed by Fearon Hay. Alpine Terrace House is a cluster of simple blackened buildings set around a courtyard. While the outlook is spectacular, the elements can be harsh – the perimeter of the cluster provides a sanctuary from which to experience the alpine landscape. The enclosure is formed in a palette of timber, steel, metal and stone, all darkened to a form a homogeneous silhouette. Single pitched roof planes interact with one another to provide a sculptural terrain.

The programme uses four adjoining buildings to accommodate the various components of the house: a pair of guest rooms and a kitchen designed for social occasions; a dining space flanked by two sitting areas; the master suite, bathroom and library; and a reading room with mudroom, coats and garaging. The single level structures are set on a plinth that begins at ground level next to a gravelled arrival court and transitions to a floating ledge above the sloping terrain. Entry is gained through a glazed volume set between two of the buildings. The house is a low profiled retreat perched in the open landscape. The architecture provides a diverse interplay of internal and exterior spaces all wrapped within a simple rectangular presence.