Lake View Residence, Wānaka
A refined, low-energy home designed for year-round comfort and quiet, contemporary living.
Chaney & Norman Architects | Built by MA Building | Photos coming in 2026
Completed: 2025
Photography: Arriving 2026
Architects: Principals Beth & Chris — Chaney & Norman Architects
Performance Strategy: Low Energy Passive House Principles (80–90% efficiency improvement)
Project Overview.
Lake View Residence is a modern Wānaka home crafted in close collaboration with Beth and Chris at Chaney & Norman Architects. The brief called for something understated yet deeply comfortable; a home that feels settled from the moment you walk in, with the kind of quiet stability that makes everyday living effortless.
Architecturally, the house is clean, calm, and proportioned with care. It’s not a showpiece — it’s a home that works, shaped by light, climate, and a clear understanding of how people actually live.
Architectural Approach
The form is simple and modern, with natural materials and a restrained palette that will age gracefully. Glazing is placed with intention: enough to bring in generous daylight and soft views, but positioned to support warmth in winter and minimise overheating in summer.
The internal layout follows that same clarity — open where it needs to be, sheltered where privacy matters. Living spaces draw warmth from the sun, while bedrooms sit in naturally stable zones, holding consistent temperatures day and night.
With photography arriving in 2026, the final images will capture this balance: crisp architectural lines, warm natural light, and a lived-in sense of calm.
A Performance Backbone.
Behind its simplicity, Lake View Residence carries a strong performance backbone. The building envelope was planned early, allowing airtightness, ventilation, and insulation to work together as one system.
Key decisions — such as integrating the airtight layer before steel installation, using a fully insulated ventilated skillion roof, and keeping structural steel within the thermal envelope — support a home that stays warm, dry, and predictable across Wānaka’s extremes.
A balanced ventilation system quietly refreshes the air throughout the day, offering a level of indoor quality that you simply can’t achieve in a standard build.
These details sit quietly out of sight, but they shape the way the home feels: warm without stuffiness, cool without constant mechanical cooling, and free from the dampness that so often marks older or poorly detailed homes.
Everyday Living
The result is a home that feels steady, calm, and effortless.
Morning sun warming the living spaces
Even temperatures from room to room
A dry, healthy interior through winter
A more stable home in summer
Outdoor living that works beyond the hottest months, supported by a discreet retractable louvre system
This is where the lightly luxe feeling emerges — not from showy features, but from how consistently good the house feels to be in.
Craft & Collaboration.
Lake View Residence reflects a strong working partnership between MA Building and Chaney & Norman Architects. With Beth and Chris guiding the architectural clarity and MA Building integrating performance into each stage of construction, the project moved forward with a shared focus: a home that functions beautifully, not just on day one, but for decades.
Materiality & Mood
The palette is pared back: muted tones, natural textures, and honest materials. Nothing competes for attention; everything works together to create a feeling of ease.
This sense of simplicity isn’t accidental — it’s the result of clear design intent and careful execution.
Project Gallery
Please note: These images are all project renders and work-in-progress photographs.
The full gallery will be coming in 2026.
