Rokino Road
High on Hilltop
Perched high on Hilltop, this impressive residence designed by by Fraser Cameron Architecture and buiklt by Haimes Building was a technically demanding project — a build that spanned more than two years from groundbreaking to completion.
The steeply sloped section presented significant engineering challenges from the outset. Extensive retaining wall systems were designed and constructed throughout the site, requiring close collaboration with structural engineers to ensure the hillside was properly managed both during and after construction. Stormwater presented its own complexities on the challenging terrain, with carefully engineered solutions needed to safely handle water movement across the sloped site.
Before construction of the new home could begin, the existing dwelling was carefully relocated to the southern end of Lake Taupō, an undertaking in its own right that set the tone for the level of coordination and expertise this project demanded at every stage.
The rewards for navigating every one of those challenges are immediately apparent in the finished result. Sweeping, uninterrupted views across Lake Taupō greet you from the moment you arrive, with the architecture working in harmony with the elevated site to frame the landscape at every turn. It's a home that could only exist in this exact spot — hard won, beautifully resolved, and a testament to what's possible when great design and skilled building come together on a site that asks everything of you
