The Black House Part One
Timber deck set within retained trees, grounding the house in its forested Queenstown site - designed by Stacey Farrell
Dark, faceted form set among mature trees, responding to the steep landscape
Split form and concrete base anchoring the house into the slope
Bedroom oriented toward native trees, creating privacy and connection to the landscape
Open-plan living area with simple materials and natural light
Warm interior spaces framed by views into the surrounding forest
Bathroom positioned to capture filtered light and views into the trees
Night view revealing the house within the trees, softly lit against the landscape
Material detail reinforcing the architectural language of the house
Architecturally designed small house in Queenstown by Stacey Farrell. Award-winning residential architecture set within a steep, forested site in Arthurs Point.
Residential Architecture - Queenstown, New Zealand
The Black House Part One is a small house in Arthurs Point, Queenstown, designed by Stacey Farrell.
Set on a steep, forested site, the design works carefully with the land, retaining established trees to frame the house and anchor it within its surroundings.
The black form is shaped by the terrain — split and shifted along the slope — with dark materials and planting softening the architecture and tying it back to the landscape.
A passive house approach informed the design, improving comfort and energy performance while maintaining a simple, grounded form.
The project received Home Magazine’s Green Home of the Year and a New Zealand Institute of Architects Southern Architecture Award for Small House Architecture.
Photographed by Ben Ruffell