Clifftop Pool, Waiheke

Fittingly, this dramatic Waiheke cliff-edge property has an equally dramatic pool and pool house. The pool cantilevers off the cliff, balancing on two 12m-deep, 25m-long palisade walls. It’s a true infinity pool and its operation is very smart, too, with a computer module which ensures safe operation of the swim jets and electric cover.

The pool is fully tiled to take on the colour of the surrounding Hauraki Gulf, and has a mix of timber and stone coping to replicate the surrounding landscape, making this is a very considered design indeed.

Hidden under the deck are the pump rooms and changing rooms, with all the facilities you would expect. The decking areas, bridge and walkways provides multiple access points and zones for the family to spread out during the hot summer days.

This very tricky project had difficult access, and more than 300m3 of concrete was poured to tie it back into the cliff. The pool house is also cantilevered over the cliff's edge, like the prow of a boat.

Cut back into the cliff with a green roof, this concrete-constructed hide-away is finished to the highest level with all the high-end fittings needed to escape the real world.

At night, the extensive lighting takes you to another world and highlights what a truly magical location this is.

Architect: MacIntosh Harris
Interior Designer: Jen Pack