Creating solutions is IBL’s superpower. That’s why the owner chose him and his team to craft a boathouse below a steep cliff in Herne Bay, Auckland. “It involved a lot of problem solving. For a start, getting materials to the site was difficult,” says Mike Imre. The crew created a chute from the top of the bluff to the bottom to deliver materials and used barges to approach from the sea. “We would have three to five hours up our sleeves until the tide came up and we had to stop,” he explains. “We created a suspended floor to work from and we were always improvising.

In the end, the team succeeded, producing a boathouse that looks like a sail and feels like a classic yacht. Details from architect Michael Cooper’s (MCooper Architects) plans are beautifully ornate with sharp design work.

The build features Meranti marine plywood, stainless steel, aluminium, and purpleheart hardwood decking to ensure the structure’s rugged beauty will withstand decades of saltwater spray.