Palm Springs House — Arkhē Architecture

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Palm Springs House
Pāpāmoa, Tauranga

Located in Palm Springs, Pāpāmoa, this house adopts the mid-century modern language of Californian desert modernism — invoking Neutra, Koenig and Wexler among others.

Drawing upon the clients’ lived experience and connection with California, the house expresses its modernist language through rectilinear forms and horizontal spatial planning, stretching the building along the north–south axis of the long site. The material palette is pared back — neutral whites with strategic use of more textural materials such as split-face brick veneers and rich timber for the soffits and entrance door.

Expressive breeze blocks — an element first introduced in Brazil in the early 1920s and widely adopted during a period of strong modernist influence — add interest and playfulness to the otherwise measured composition.

Three-metre ceilings, full-height windows and doors, and the generous entrance overhang counterbalance the restrained forms, drawing from iconic modernist works while maintaining a dialogue with the immediate context: careful proportions and scale, a consistent street edge, and a relaxed approach to the public walkway, engaging with surroundings and passers-by.

Credits

Location
Palm Springs, Pāpāmoa, Tauranga
Completed
2021
Builder
Davy Construction
Photography
Diego Marangoni

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© Arkhē Architecture 2026
NZGBC Homestar Designer · ADNZ Professional Member · LBP Design 2

The long white elevation with breeze-block screen. Mid-century lines along the street edge. Full-height timber entry door against white brick. Expressive breeze blocks adding pattern and shade. Open living with full-height glazing to the view. Kitchen and dining along the north–south axis. Living space framed by full-height windows. Gallery-like hall with curated art. The form against the evening sky. Deep eaves and crisp white massing. The site beside the water at dusk. Street presence in the golden hour. Landscaped approach and shadow play.