Lifestyle At Cable Bay

Positioned within one of Waiheke Island’s most exclusive rural addresses, this extraordinary lifestyle property is a quiet triumph of architecture, landscape and light. Winner of the 2009 Home of the Year and a 2011 NZIA Medal Finalist (Architect Prize), one of New Zealand’s most prestigious architectural awards, the residence was designed by celebrated architects David Mitchell and Julie Stout as a masterclass in sculptural form, spatial poetry and crafted simplicity. Just eight minutes from the ferry and village, it offers both architectural distinction and everyday convenience.

Set across 3.1216 hectares of private countryside, the home sits gently in the landscape, its distinctive timber forms wrapped in sliding cedar screens that choreograph light, shadow and privacy throughout the day. From the outset, the design reveals itself as both bold and understated, with a deceptive scale that makes the home feel intimate for everyday living, yet rich with spaces to explore and experience.
At its heart lies a dramatic open-plan living, dining and kitchen pavilion, beautifully grounded by warm bamboo flooring and flanked by two soaring, two-level wings. One side houses the main suite on the ground floor, while the other contains four cabin-like bedrooms above and a luminous, light-filled room to think, designed as a place of reflection and creativity. Inspired by Ryokan-style architecture, the guest suites feel private, calm and deeply connected to nature.

Handmade joinery, bold colour accents, including the vibrant yellow main bedroom, and carefully restrained materials define the interiors, creating a rhythm of moments and moods throughout the home. Every doorway, window and cedar screen is thoughtfully framed to capture native bush, changing skies and distant sea views.

Wide vistas reach toward Rangitoto Island and the Auckland skyline, while two distinct outdoor living zones offer very different experiences. One faces the water, while the other is a sheltered, private courtyard tucked behind the living pavilion. Beneath a dramatic upper room with a zig-zag skylight, a protected outdoor retreat creates an ideal space for entertaining or quiet reflection.
Outside, the home features a heated swimming pool and spa, extensive landscaped gardens, established native bush, an amphitheater, a productive orchard of fruit and nut trees, and around 55 mature olive trees, complemented by additional visitor or worker accommodation for extended family or staff.

A separate rear entrance to the upper-level guest wing allows visitors to come and go independently, preserving privacy for owners. Built by respected craftsman Ron Jackson, this exceptional home stands proudly in its landscape - a place designed to inspire slow living, creativity, gardening, and the pleasure of gathering and sharing meals.
This is a rare architectural offering where distinction, calm and substance exist in complete harmony.