The Double Courtyard House is a coastal residence designed by Roberts Gray Architects in Te Arai, New Zealand, organised around two contrasting courtyards that respond to its dune-top setting between a pine forest and the coastline. The home combines low-slung rammed earth volumes with hip and flat roof forms, creating separate bedroom and living pavilions connected by a central hallway. Full-height glazing and sliding doors strengthen the relationship between the interior spaces and the surrounding landscape.
The southern pavilion encloses a shaded courtyard planted with ferns, while the northern living volume surrounds an exposed courtyard finished with large stone slabs and open to coastal views and sea breezes. The residence incorporates rammed earth walls, sandblasted concrete floors, bead-blasted steelwork and dark timber detailing selected for durability in the coastal environment.
Image Credit: Samuel Hartnett
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Dual-courtyard Living
- Contrasting sheltered and exposed outdoor spaces signal new potential for residential designs that adapt microclimates, privacy and views within a single coastal footprint.
- Rammed-earth Coastal Homes
- Durable earth-based construction materials are emerging as premium alternatives for climate-conscious houses exposed to salt air, wind and harsh shoreline conditions.
- Pavilion-based Residences
- Separated living and bedroom volumes reflect growing demand for flexible home layouts that balance retreat, openness and stronger connections to surrounding landscapes.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Residential Architecture
- Coastal homes organized around landscape-responsive courtyards point to differentiated design models for high-end, climate-adaptive housing.
- Sustainable Building Materials
- Rammed earth, sandblasted concrete and weather-resistant finishes create opportunities for material suppliers focused on longevity, low maintenance and regional environmental fit.
- Luxury Real Estate
- Nature-integrated residences with distinctive spatial planning can support premium positioning in scenic markets where buyers value privacy, resilience and immersive views.
