Pukeruru is the home of Carin Wilson, a renowned studio furniture maker and sculptor.
Pukeruru is the home of Carin Wilson, a renowned studio furniture maker and sculptor.
Carin Wilson’s Pukeruru reflects his philosophy of integrating art and space with the environment.
The design emphasises connection to the whenua, with open walls and seamless indoor-outdoor transitions.
Wilson’s approach prioritises simplicity and storytelling, creating a welcoming and intimate atmosphere.
Tonight‘s episode of The Drawing Board features the work of Carin Wilson, a renowned studio furniture maker, sculptor and design educator at the forefront of New Zealand’s craft movement.
Wilson takes viewers on a journey through his expansive coastal property, Pukeruru, located in Wairahi – Northland, a place intimately connected to the whenua.
The name “Pukeruru” reflects the site’s unique geographical position.
“We call our site Pukeruru because it is this little puke that on all sides actually just comes up to this ridge,” he says.
”What began as a gorse-covered ridge and a bare site is now a thoughtfully designed space born from a deep respect for the land.
The architecture of Pukeruru is a reflection of Carin Wilson’s philosophy.
“I think that you’ve got to begin to feel and taste and hear it all, all of those essential experiences of a site before you start to do anything,” Wilson says.
Wilson and his wife Jenni’s journey in creating Pukeruru began with a large platform, upon which they constructed a temporary shelter. Over time, they moved a cabin onto the site, giving them space and time to get the design and architecture just right.
“It’s about not being in too much of a hurry,” says Wilson. “There’s a big story about why we are here, and we really wanted that to be strongly reflected in the way that we set it out.”
The architecture of Pukeruru is a reflection of Wilson’s philosophy; a space that serves both as a work of art and as a gathering place for family and friends.
Derek Kawiti and Cal Wilson at Pukeruru.
“Basically the thinking around what we’ve built is that this is our art here. A place where we could welcome our people and our family.”
For Wilson, this aligns with a deeply Māori way of experiencing space, one that acknowledges the moana (ocean) and the sense of breathing life into a space.
“It’s a Māori way of experiencing space. To be able to experience it as breathing,” he explains.
Wilson’s design process is guided by a “thematic proposition” – a rule of seven.
“This rule of seven is mine, I don’t know when I first landed on it, but seven degrees is quite a magic number for me,” Wilson says.
His approach resulted in a space that evokes a sense of enclosure and connection to the environment.
“We virtually ended up with exactly what we wanted, which is a sense of enclosure,” he says.
The connection to the whenua is paramount in the design of Pukeruru, with open walls and seamless indoor-outdoor transitions.
“I didn’t want the focus to be just on that magnificent, as it is, northerly view. This is a place of intimacy in its widest sense,” she says.
Her vision for Pukeruru was one where guests connect with the space and one another, rather than simply admiring the view.
Professor of Architecture Derek Kawiti observes the welcoming nature of the building, which contrasts the usual architect’s focus on detail.
“It’s so welcoming. All the timber and all the beautiful textures and colours and really busy, lots of things,” Kawiti says.
Wilson, who doesn’t focus on unnecessary detail, explains: “We don’t like detail that’s too complicated, we only respond to detail that’s telling a story.”
His work embraces the “irregularities and junctions” of the building, reflecting his broader artistic philosophy.
“You experience the space – that’s the idea,” he says. This approach is evident in how the house interacts with its natural surroundings, as Wilson describes his first encounter with the land.
“You come down the hill and you sweep around that bend and there’s a piwakawaka sitting over the top of the road ... and I’m like, oh my God, this is just like the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”
For Wilson, the driving force behind his architectural and artistic vision is simple but powerful.
“I want to leave it better than how I found it. So that’s the most compelling driver for me.”
