Sustainable Eco-timber Showcase Launches in Cardrona

Abodo’s showcase Cardrona Cabin has been carefully crafted to demonstrate how New Zealand local alternatives for imported old-growth cedar can withstand Central Otago’s harsh alpine climate.

Reflecting the historic nature of Cardrona township, the cabin’s simple gable form is a contemporary interpretation of rural huts and sheds found scattered across the region.

The 102-square-metre show cabin, designed by award-winning Arrowtown-based Assembly Architects and built by Wanaka-based Dunlop Builders took about eight months to complete.

Stage two of the development, a series of stand-alone visitor chalets, is planned to start later in the year, with resource consent to be lodged within the next two months.

Dunlop Builders managing director Bryce Dunlop says the team that built the show cabin had extensive experience in using exposed timber, leading to an “impressive” end result.

“We really enjoyed working with Abodo timber. It’s different to other timbers, it’s a lot drier, which makes it good to work with as you don’t get any shrinkage, so everything remains very tight and doesn’t move.

“The wood is great to use, we like it, it’s sustainable and we know it’s sourced from New Zealand. You just can’t get that sustainability aspect in other local timber so hopefully anyone building a home in the area will consider using it.”

Abodo Wood director Daniel Gudsell says the modified pine timber was designed from the outset to suit alpine conditions so the decision to invest in the region was a no-brainer.

“We created this showcase to demonstrate how New Zealand plantation-grown timbers perform in the challenging ‘hot one day, cold the next’ environment such as the Cardona Valley.

“No longer can we use slow grown, imported timbers to build premium homes and structures in our country. This building is a showcase of what can be achieved when we think differently.”

Abodo’s Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified Vulcan Cladding has been used as exposed structure, while the stylish and striking exterior is clad entirely in Vulcan Screening with a silicate finish.

Vulcan Panelling is used in the interior, as is end grain douglas fir in the loft flooring, and charred Vulcan battens on the charred road sign.

Assembly Architects stayed true to the property of the material while creating a high-performance thermal envelope to keep occupants toasty-warm.

The cabin is open by appointment, contact Abodo for more information.

Read more about this project here.

Beautifully designed by Assembly Architects⁣

Fantastic craftsmanship by Dunlop Builders ⁣⁣

Project photography by Simon Devitt ⁣⁣