The Mapua Miromiro
A Scandinavian Retreat in the Heart of Mapua
Having lived in Mapua for years, the owners loved their community and had no desire to leave. Instead, they saw an opportunity to make better use of their property by building a sustainable, energy-efficient home at the back of their section. They wanted a space that felt warm, inviting, and connected to nature while also being practical and environmentally responsible. The Miromiro Plan, a 162-square-metre, two-story design, was the perfect fit—compact enough to work on their site while still offering all the space and comfort they needed.
With a small footprint and vertical layout, the home made the most of the available land without feeling cramped. Thoughtful window placement and careful orientation ensured plenty of natural light, privacy, and a seamless connection to the outdoors. Even though it was tucked away behind an existing house, the design allowed for an open, airy feel rather than a sense of being boxed in.
Bringing the vision to life:
Building a home at the back of an existing section came with its own set of challenges, requiring a design that balanced efficiency, sustainability, and integration into the surrounding residential environment. From the outset, the focus was on optimizing space, and ensuring the new home complemented both the land and the existing property.
Our solid timber components are prefabricated in the factory which reduces material waste and speeds up construction which is always handy for the challenges a winter build like this one can bring.
The Miromiro plan with its compact footprint and two-storey layout made it the perfect fit, allowing for a spacious interior without overwhelming the outdoor space. Window placement and orientation ensured that the home felt light-filled and open, despite being positioned at the rear of the section, while passive solar design principles ensured the home remained comfortable and cost-effective to run year-round.
The Final Result: A warm and welcoming place to live.
The end result is a home that feels both modern and timeless, full of natural textures and warm tones. Exposed timber walls and ceilings bring a sense of calm. The kitchen, dining, and living spaces flow together effortlessly, making it a great place for entertaining or just unwinding at the end of the day. It is a home that feels private yet connected, compact yet spacious, and entirely in tune with its environment.
More than just a house, this solid timber home in Mapua is a reflection of the owners’ values—beautiful, practical, and deeply connected to the place they call home.
The Project Gallery:
Words from the Client:
“It’s such a warm and welcoming place to live. We’ve hardly needed to light the fire despite several frosts and have only lit it on long wet days without any sun. It stays warm all night, so we’re still lightly dressed in the morning and haven’t needed to put the heatpump on at all yet!
It’s a really quiet and peaceful house. Even the birds seem to love it – if we leave the ranchsliders open, they wander on in, thinking it’s an extension of the outside world!”
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