Within this stunning structure resides The Lindis, a new, five-bedroomed luxury lodge that, in its aesthetic, is part wilderness accommodation, part flamboyant residence. It is a contemporary, sculptural take on the hunting lodge typology.
While still traditionalist in its colour palette and interior materiality (such as the Edwin Lutyens-inspired bluestone fireplace), a geometric boldness makes it something entirely unexpected and vibrant. It is as if Taupō’s Poronui Lodge had been designed by an abstract painter rather than a classicist. Yet, where Poronui’s approach to the land is one of boldly inhabiting it (i.e. perched dramatically above the surrounding river), The Lindis is more about quiet cohabitation.
‘Unobtrusive’ is the operative word here. One of The Lindis’ most successful design moves is its ability to – as the oft-repeated phrase says – ‘blend into its surroundings’ in a way very few commercial buildings have done.
When asked about the architecture’s influence on the interior, Kelly talks of a gallery/entry where the plan is submerged in the ground and the windows are flush with the line of the land. The result, he says, is a roof form that “mimics the glacial moraine topography.”
In imitating the Huxley Range, The Lindis doesn’t simply take in the expansive alpine views; it forms a relationship with them – one that can only be described as symbiotic, respectful of the land and entirely luxurious.
