Where time slows down

Framed by planting and open sky, what’s been created here is less an outdoor structure in the usual sense, and more a place you end up staying longer than you planned to. Somewhere to sit, talk, play chess, dine with friends outside, and let time stretch out a bit.

The original brief started with a simple idea: turn a derelict court into something usable again. But it quickly became less about reuse and more about the mood. The homeowner had seen a pergola overseas that stuck with him, but didn’t want to copy it; instead, chase that same feeling. From there, the concept was developed with an architect and the team at Structur Building, slowly turning sketches and references into something grounded, physical, and very specific to its lush locale.

The intention was always to make it feel like it belonged there. Not placed, but settled in. That starts with the roof. The copper tiles are the first thing that gives the structure its weight, and there’s history in them that you can’t really design in. They were reclaimed from the spire of Christchurch’s iconic Cathedral after the damage from the 2011 earthquake, and reworked with stonemason Graham Bond so they could be folded and interlocked into the new form. Their use is an emotional anchor for the project. That sits well with the rest of the structure, which leans into older building ideas rather than trying to be overly refined or new.

The form itself came through a lot of problemsolving in the workshop. The custom curved beams were developed, tested, and adjusted until they worked. The roof pitch is steep at around 60 degrees, and it gives the whole structure a more expressive profile than a simple mono-pitch would have. At either end, custom trusses tie everything together and give the pergola its frame. The pergola stands tall as an organising point, an open shelter that invites social life to an otherwise underused area of this wider property. Now it’s part game, part pause point, part excuse to linger.

What really defines the space, though, is how it’s used as a small cluster of moments rather than one object. There’s a sunken chess court set level into the deck, which sounds simple but took careful thought to get right. Next to it, the outdoor kitchen stretches the social side of the space further out. Built in collaboration with a joiner, it brings together modular barbecue units, custom boarding, stone surfaces and detailing that pushes it beyond something purely functional. There’s even imported marble across the top, and a custom stone basin worked in alongside it, which gives it a more permanent, built-in feel.

Small details carry weight. Laser-cut motifs, an albatross, and a tree of life sit on the joinery and furniture, hand-finished in the workshop. The stonework was done first, which then set the base for the deck to be built around it. The stone wasn’t chosen for uniformity. Mosscovered pieces were selected intentionally to give them an older, more grounded feel from day one.

It avoids looking newly installed, which changes how the whole space sits in its setting. At each end, planter boxes help pull the pergola back into the landscape so it doesn’t feel like an isolated object. It’s anchored in its surroundings rather than sitting on top of them.

What stands out most is how all of it works together socially. Nothing is isolated or single-purpose. The chess area pulls people in, the kitchen keeps them there, and the pergola holds it all together. It’s designed around people gathering, but in a way that doesn’t force it.

This project is a strong example of the ambition, tenacity, and passion for craftsmanship that Structur Building possess.There was a lot of trial and adjustment along the way, such as scaling curved forms, testing ideas, and resolving details as they went. But that’s part of what made it work. The right answers were found as the project progressed.

“Recreating the client’s vision in our own way was a cool opportunity,” says Cole Bardwell, director of Structur Building. For him, this was a dream project, one where he wasn’t restricted by budget or creative limitation. “We don’t shy away from complicated or creative projects. The process of making things work and finding solutions made this project super enjoyable to tackle.”

The old tennis court now ends in a space built for slowing down. The reclaimed copper, mossy stone, and crafted timber unite to echo the property at large, steeped in history. It’s become a natural place for people to gather and stay, completely belonging to the forest it calls home.