277 Littles Road, Dalefield, Queenstown Lakes

Oculus House - Architecture worth naming

This is Oculus House, dreamed into being by Condon Scott Architects, shortlisted for national awards and gracing the pages of ArchDaily and Homestyle. A home where sculptural design, light and landscape converge in extraordinary harmony.

Now, for the first time, it can be yours.

At its heart lies the moment that gave the house its name: a timber-lined courtyard where a Japanese maple reaches skyward through a circular oculus, opening the soul of the home to the elements. In a home surrounded by mountains, the most unforgettable view looks straight up.

Completed in 2024 and finished without compromise, this 449sqm home wraps five bedrooms and four bathrooms around its iconic courtyard. A private master wing and office provide quiet retreat, while guest accommodation encircles the other side. It feels intimate for two and effortless when everyone descends.

The house saves one of its most memorable moments for the experience of moving through it. From the gallery entrance, a board-formed concrete spine wall draws you forward, cool and tactile under your hand, until the space opens and, in a dramatic reveal, The Remarkables and Crown Terrace suddenly fill the glass. Beneath sarked cedar ceilings, the open-plan living spaces wrap around an Escea fireplace carved into the sculptural concrete wall, while the American oak and Dekton kitchen brings warmth, craftsmanship and quiet confidence to the heart of the home.

Comfort here is engineered, not hoped for. Triple glazing and hydronic underfloor heating deliver exceptional thermal performance, turning winter mornings into a luxury and southerly winds into little more than a distant memory. Smart automation orchestrates lighting, heating, blinds and security at a touch. While a four-person lift glides to the lower level, revealing a mirrored gym, temperature-controlled wine cellar and internal-access garaging behind an elegantly detailed cedar door.

The home's connection to its landscape is nowhere more apparent than outdoors, where a LouvreTec pergola and spa pool provide a front-row seat to the fading alpenglow. Across 4.31 hectares of elevated grounds, tussocks sway around a tranquil pond and orchard, while heated stepping pavers trace a path to the automated pivot entrance. Coronet Peak rises in perfect view from the bedrooms, and beyond it, the whole Wakatipu Basin feels like yours.

Here, serenity and accessibility exist in perfect balance. The charm of Arrowtown, the fairways of Millbrook and The Hills, and the slopes of Coronet Peak are all mere minutes away, Queenstown and its airport a short drive beyond. A tightly held Dalefield address that offers complete privacy without a hint of isolation.

Homes of this calibre are rarely built and even more rarely offered. Oculus House is a singular piece of New Zealand architecture, where every line, material and view serves a greater vision. Experience Oculus, starting beneath the circle of sky.