Grand Designs Australia Magazine Issue#7.3 - Jun 2018 Back Issue

when my husband and I did our big American road trip six years ago, we stayed in an Earthship house in Taos, New Mexico. It was the first time I’d ever heard of an Earthship and what a unique experience. For those who haven’t heard of one, an Earthship is a type of passive solar house that is made of natural and recycled materials. Part of the ‘Phoenix Earthship’, our New Mexican accommodation was 100 per cent solar powered and connected to a flourishing greenhouse with a pond that guests could walk through. Among other recycled materials, the walls were partially constructed of old wine bottles. It was like we were staying in a spaceship in the middle of the desert. This issue we take a look at Earthship Te Timatanga in Coromandel Peninsula on the North Island of New Zealand. Also known as Coromandel house, this amazing property featured on Grand Designs New Zealand Series 1 Episode 2. It certainly brings back great memories for me as in many ways it’s very similar to the one we stayed in — particularly Te Timatanga’s ‘bottle walls’ that are mainly made up of large wine and olive oil bottles gathered from the local tip. Check it out on page 76 or, if you want more of a hands-on experience, you can stay there as homeowners Gus and Sarah rent out Te Timatanga on Airbnb.