The clients were looking to retire on the beach and wanted tough fixtures and fittings to handle the harsh salt environment along with proven construction methods to future proof their new home.

Architects Godward Guthrie were commissioned to provide the design and construction drawings. The brief was simple - create a modern home that incorporated many of the new technologies currently available, while remaining easy to maintain and live in.

Automated features within the home include the CS AutoPivot entry door and the vertically sliding secure louvres, which were custom manufactured by CS Cavity Sliders in their Mt Wellington factory. Godward Guthrie had dealt with CS in the past on some custom builds and were confident that the CS design and build service was just what was required here.

The louvres are designed to shut the front building down completely when in secure mode - providing protection from the elements and security when required. The blades can also be rotated to suit the level of shade required or the whole louvre section can be lifted to provide clean unobstructed views of the harbour - all at the touch of a button.

The pivot door is another automated feature built in to provide security as well as an impressive entrance. The door is programmed to open automatically once a secure pin code has been verified. The size of the door (2.7m wide) ensures that even the widest piece of furniture will make it through the doorway! The door leaf itself is 70mm thick to retain scale and is constructed mainly of aluminium, which is essential in high corrosion zones.

Some of the key access ways throughout the home are also automated to provide ease of access and extra security where required. CS provided the Autocav90 for these doorways and they are connected into the home automation system.

The rest of the internal doors are glazed aluminium NewYorkers. These not only complete the architectural look to the interior fit-out; they have also ended up being a practical, long term, reliable door solution, as they are easy to clean! The majority of the internal doors are cavity sliders. Where hinged doors were required, CS provided an aluminium jamb that matches the aluminium jamb of the cavity sliders on site - a nice finishing touch!