But you're about to meet a man who not only has the resources; he has a strong drive to retreat from the world and to create a unique island sanctuary for his family. Dad's home. ANZ ` proud sponsor of Three's Grand Designs New Zealand. (THEME MUSIC) Captions by Madison Batten and James Brown. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017 (BIRDSONG) Tairua on the Coromandel Peninsula is a popular seaside holiday spot with a tight-knit community of about 1200 permanent residents. It can be hard to slip under the radar here, especially when you're a big fish in this little pond, like Sky Mason. This is the piece of land that I used to build huts in and explore as a kid, and I remember always looking up on this hill, wishing one day I had this castle up here. Sky is a local lad who trained as a builder but has moved on to become a successful property developer. Right now we're standing on Azimuth Estate. That's the other project I've got going on. He's investing back into the community, transforming a large swathe of the town's hillside into low-density eco-built housing. and upgrading the town marina, from where he indulges his passion for the ocean. Hey, mate. This is my home. Tairua's a lovely place. It's paradise. The hardest thing about it is, yeah, creating an income here; you've got minimal options. And back when I was a teenager, it was either go and work at the mill or be a tradesman. I suppose that's where my passion for construction and architecture started. I think it's every community member's responsibility to do what they can to keep the community thriving. Sky is a solo dad who juggles work with parenting daughters Eden, who's 3, and Lucy, who's 7. There you go, sweet. Feed 'em. Here. Can't see the little one today. Living with them and helping with childcare is one of Sky's oldest friends, Sea, and her 12-year-old daughter, Lily. (BOTH CHEER) Yeah, it's quite hard for me to balance work, life, family and stuff like that. So Sea came and moved in, and it really helped out. She's been a godsend. I've known Sky since I was 13 years old. He's ended up living with my family over the years. He's like my brother, really. And, yeah, he's awesome with my daughter, and I enjoy being auntie to his girls, so, yeah, it works out really well. All five are currently living in a four-bedroom house in this coastal town. But Sky has a dream of privacy, of creating an offshore island sanctuary that he and his family can escape to. He's got his eye on Slipper Island, 10km offshore from Tairua. Well, ever since I was a kid, I've seen it from land. And I couldn't access the island when I was younger, so I was always looking out going, 'Oh, I wanna go there.' (CHUCKLES) I can't wait to see what Sky has planned. On a good day, Slipper Island is a 20-minute boat ride, but to get there, you have to cross the treacherously shallow Tairua sandbar, the ruin of many boaties. Oh, lovely up here. Yes, it is. There's a sandbar coming off here, and it gets very shallow just to the right. It's a bar that should be taken with caution at all times. It's more about just respecting it. Slipper ` or Whakahau, as it's known in Maori ` is one of only a few privately-owned islands in the country. It's 268ha of remote off-grid farmland ` no power, no paved roads, no shops, no town water. But its beauty is unquestionable. But it's no easy feat to access. Hey, stand back, Nick. Stand back. Even though it's a fine day, a strong crosswind is making docking on the island's normally more sheltered bay a no-go. When you get an odd wind like this coming from the west, it exposes this side of the island, which is meant to be the safe spot for everybody. We'll go to Home Bay Wharf, OK? MAN: There's always something else, bro. Yeah. We're forced to head back round to a second wharf on what's normally the more exposed side of the island to try our luck there. The introduction to what we're in for in this build. Well done, guys. You're not looking for a new job, are you, Chris? (LAUGHTER) I'm impressed by your boat skills. I really am. It comes in handy sometimes, doesn't it? Yup, it's always an adventure. It's another 10-minute ride over farm tracks to reach the 5000m2 site Sky has purchased for $500,000. Whoa! No matter what, every time I come here, it's like the first time I arrived. It just blows you away, doesn't it? This is wicked. Yeah, it's hard to explain to other people, you know, why I wanna build out here and be here. But when you see that, it's sort of self-explanatory, isn't it? Wow. And what a wow. (CHUCKLES) Yeah. So, tell me a little bit about the design of your house. Well, we've got quite a significant fall here, a slope. So, yeah, the design's been put around that. It's gonna split-level down to suit the typography. And a thing I like particularly is these pohutukawas in front of us. The roofline will sit directly in-line with the top of that. At 390m2, Sky's home away from home will be anything but modest. Light wooden piles will be topped with a wooden floor and timber frame shipped from the mainland. Blue ply cladding will match the ocean below, and a single-pitch steel roof will sit in-line with the native trees. Island life means being off-grid, so there'll be water tanks, solar panels, a backup generator and septic system. A sheltered entrance opens into the house as if into a cabin on a boat. Inside, three split levels step down with the slope of the hill. A covered walkway shelters an outdoor barbecue space and leads to the family wing, with rooms for the children and Sky's friend Sea. At the opposite end is Sky's own sanctuary ` a bedroom, large bathroom and separate living area ` completing an island escape which Sky hopes will blend seamlessly in with the horizon. For me, what you've got here is really, really extraordinary. I mean, you feel it. We feel, right now, like we're in the weather. I mean, I almost feel like I'm sailing, you know. (CHUCKLES) The next front's coming through. You're tuning the sails. Yeah, I think that's why I like it, you know. I like being in the elements ` the sea, the ocean, the rain. It's... It's wicked. You know, you wanna live in it too. And yet, while it's utterly magical, it's at the same time threatening and a massive challenge for you. How on Earth are you gonna get everything up here? Yeah, no, everybody seems to be worried about that. A lot of that type of planning is down to Frank, the builder. He's a very motivated guy, and I've put that stress on him, really. (CHUCKLES) I actually grew up with Frank, and we both started in the construction game at the same age, and it was almost competitive. I'm gonna try really hard to stay out of his hair. But at the same time` It's gonna be difficult, isn't it? Yes, yes. And, yeah, we've got six months to build it. Six months to do it. Yeah. And on top of all of that, you've chosen to build in the middle of winter. Are you utterly mad? Everybody says, 'It's gonna be bloody hard, mate.' Well, it's what we do. So what you think is 'bring it on'. Oh, bloody oath, yeah. Good things don't happen because they're easy. Sky is determined to have the house built by summer and to keep his budget under $1 million. He's renting one of four chalets on the island for his friend and builder, Frank Dyer, to live in for the next six months. Yeah, it's sort of quite exciting but quite nerve-racking at the same time. Yeah, it's gonna mean a lot of time away from family and friends, but, yeah, it's a beautiful place, so, yeah, it's mixed emotion. I've got a partner and three kids. One of them's only 2 months old. Yeah, my partner definitely wasn't enthused with the concept. (CHUCKLES) The plan is to start building in May, but weather delays the first barge load of building supplies before they've even begun. It's gonna play a big factor in progress, for sure. Hmm. Bugger. It's nearly a month and the start of winter before the sea's calm enough for the barge to access this remote island. We just have to wait for a weather window. And then, of course, when you get that window, all hell breaks loose organising stuff and running around to make it work. Sky's been waiting a long time for this moment, and he's on hand to make sure it all goes smoothly. Our priority now is to just get everything off so the barge can move away safely. Literally everything for this build will need to be transported to the island. This first load includes a digger, a tractor and a generator that will power the site. But to get them onshore, they'll first have to rebuild the landing, as weeks of bad weather have washed away tonnes of earth. It's not ideal. (CHUCKLES) But it's workable. With a fragile shore base, they need to move fast. A sudden swell could send the digger and its driver into the water and damage the barge and landing. Hey, can you come just a bit inshore? But stand off? Yeah, inshore. Obviously this barge is crucial, because if we miss something on this barge, it could really hinder the whole rest of the project. There's a tight tide window to work with before the ramp will become too steep and the swell too strong for offloading. (ENGINE STRAINS) The last thing we need right now is a flat battery on a tractor. It's already clear Sky's going to be battling some unique challenges most new homeowners would never face. It's the small things, eh? A flat battery on a tractor. Hey, Frank. Do you reckon the digger could pull it off? We need to jumpstart it. Oh, yeah. They're gonna get some jumper leads. OK, mate. It doesn't take too much to threaten the plans when building on an off-grid island. Sky's relying on the tractor to remove the entire barge load of build materials. (ENGINE STRAINS) Go again. (ENGINE STARTS) It takes 25 minutes to get underway, in which time the tide has risen, increasing the danger of surge. The swell's just kicking in a tiny bit before that tractor comes off. But they've come too far to abandon the delivery now. They're pumping some ballast up to the front of the barge at the moment just to try to bring the nose down. Oh, I see. Yeah, as the tide comes up, the ramp gets steeper. Oh. After more than eight tense hours, the last of the cargo is unloaded and tractored safely to site. It's been a hair-raising day, even before the building begins. It's dawn on Slipper Island. Over the past month, Frank and his team have built the foundations and split-level flooring for Sky's remote island holiday home. A boat that has travelled through the night has delivered a full set of pre-nailed framing which will shape the walls of Sky's house. And we'll just go round that way and get one end in, then we'll just slide it round once we've stood it. Using pre-framing means walls could go up in a day. It's a challenge to get it out here, but now that it's out here, it's gonna save us a lot of time. One, two, three. It's quite a complex frame design too here. It's cos we've got quite a few different floor levels, studs at different spacings, different products for studs. So it would have been a lot of hard work to build them out here. As soon as I knew that we could physically get them on a vessel, it was a no-brainer as far as I was concerned. Frank now has a whole team of builders living with him in the two-bedroom chalet. Oh, it's quite cool. I like the fishing after work ` and the view. And, like, no one hassles you out here. There's just nothing. No one turns up. It's just... Yeah, it's quite unique. But I still` I miss going home at night. With no shops, no pubs and limited internet, they're going to be spending a lot of time together for the next six months. Oh, she's a bit of a pig sty at the moment. Too busy working. (CHUCKLES) (FANTAIL CHIRPS) Five of us in here. Two beds in bedroom one, two in bedroom two, and then one person on the fold-out couch. And Kurt's tenting it. Yeah, it's all good. It's not as good as home, but probably better than Kurt's tent. (LAUGHS) While the builders experience the isolation of island life first-hand, Sky is yet to find out what it will be like. Though his daughters reckon he can handle anything. Daddy likes to go fishing and catch big marlins. He also caught a whale with all his mussels. (GENTLE MUSIC) With the house framing well underway, Sky's eldest daughter, Lucy, is joining us for a chance to explore the isolated island hideaway. While Sky only got to look out at the island as a child, he's hoping that he and his children will soon get to spend most weekends here. So you must have dreamt about this place a lot growing up here as a kid. Oh, yeah. I did, a lot. To have such a beautiful, remote place just on our back doorstep, it's that adventurous side of a young curious boy, I suppose, and that's where I grew the passion for the place. It's a different history here. It's not one people would consider a nice history. The early Maori would use this place to enslave people and just break their ankles so they couldn't swim back to the mainland and just keep them for later, really. Whoa. Yeah. OK. But I definitely don't feel any spooky vibes out here. My iwi is actually located around Gisborne, but I think all Maori are connected just because they're Maori anywhere. It doesn't matter what area of the country. I just find it fascinating, the richness of the history here too. Here you are on this island. And when you're on the mainland looking at something like that, then it seems very desirable. Yeah. But when you're out here, you're isolated. How does that feel? It feels great. I love it. Yeah. That's one of the major things you like about spending a lot of time in a place like this ` is getting away from the, you know, the mainland, the everyday life, the hustle and bustle, the work, the problems. I'm not saying it's a bad place, but I just think this place is a lot better. So it's splendid isolation. Oh, very splendid isolation, yes. Yeah. Willingly isolated. Sky has a romantic view of life here in his remote off-grid home. But being cut off from all the mod cons of the mainland is not easy with kids in tow. I wonder if he and his young family will enjoy getting away from it all as much as he thinks they will. The raw elements on an island are so much more extreme than the mainland. You have to deal with everything ` salt spray, which is everywhere, and the classic thing you can see on a sunny day like today is the wind. It's blowing any way. So when you're thinking about the building materials, you want to minimise any complicated little details. You wanna keep things simple and basic. By September, the framing for Sky's family getaway is complete and the scale of the design is evident. Sky hopes the way the split-level home sits on the hill will make it less conspicuous. To design a building that really sinks in with the environment around it is very important to me. Today the builders and Sky are preparing for the installation of a single-pitched roof above the split-level rooms, which will create varying ceiling heights within the home. The whole point about this build was designing with the typography. The single-plane roof was really what we were going for. It's only one obstruction on the horizon rather than many. Instead of bringing over another barge, Sky has made the risky decision to fly the roofing iron from the mainland beneath a helicopter. This is our first helicopter operation. Everything else is done by barge. So it is a little bit new to us, and, yeah, we definitely wanna get it right. But it's like everything building out here; you come across problems, and you just have to find solutions. And, yeah, there's no two ways about it, otherwise the job comes to a standstill. Decided with the chopper for this one, it was just about getting the roof on. The boys have got a dry space to work under then. Also avoiding the risk of damage to the roofing material as well without all of that labour and handling that you would in a barge or boat. The strong breeze building at sea has everyone nervous. And there's another problem. Cos we're never gonna go what it's gonna strop up like until we do actually physically try to lift it. The chopper's pilot is unhappy with the plans to secure the load with strops, and Frank and Sky are combining their shared building know-how to find a solution. We're thinking about building cradles that we can sit the roofing material in on a curve with packing it down. So the big one we'll do at 9.6 for the 15m sheet. This is why I've been knocking on wood a lot today. If he picks it up and something goes wrong in mid-flight, over the water to the island, I think he's got this little magic switch in there that he just flicks, and a whole pile of roofing material is at the bottom of the ocean. So, you know, his safety is number one priority, but I really hope he doesn't flick that switch. (CHUCKLES) It's a high possibility in a dangerous lift. On Slipper Island, Sky and the builders are preparing for a helicopter to lift the roofing iron on to Sky's home. Morning. The pilot is finally happy with the redesigned strops that will support the metal, and the wind has dropped, so they're good to go. (HELICOPTER WHIRRS) The helicopter is heading back to the mainland with the cradle to pick up the first of three loads of iron. Stage one. Yeah. (BOTH LAUGH) While most building products have arrived on the island by sea, Sky is spending $7000 on this helicopter in the hope it will keep the metal more protected than putting it on the barge. It's exciting. I'm gonna have to start planning the roof shout, I think. Hopefully this time it'll work. (CHUCKLES) This is the first time the builders have ever had roofing products delivered by air. We're away. Straight over there, see. Oh, yeah, here it comes. Don't scratch it. The plan is for Frank to stand on the roof and manually help lower the iron into position, but the rotor wash is making this very difficult ` and dangerous. (TENSE MUSIC) It's an extremely risky situation for the pilot and for Frank. It's down. Not liking this. Hopes of a gentle landing and an unscathed roof are quickly becoming secondary to everyone's safety. Oh no. Jeez, that was a bit worrying, that one. Oh, good work, boss. (EXHALES) Heart racing, eh? Well, at least we've got some roofing. Yeah. Frank's shaken, and the roofing iron is dented. Perhaps the boat may have been a better option after all. Just a few over that lip, eh? Little bit of a ding. I see a little bit of a ding on this edge here. They'll panelbeat out. Obviously with rotor wash with the load underneath the helicopter and being the shape that it is, it was sort of a little bit unpredictable. Tapped the scaffold a couple of times, which wasn't ideal. Um... But they're up here. Um, yeah. Job done. Yeah. After the stress of the helicopter, Frank is more than happy to get away to the mainland and pick up the cladding. Sky has chosen a marine ply, a good match for the island's harsh conditions. He's having it pre-coated in a colour coincidentally called Sky Blue. Ply is good for a marine environment cos it's easily maintained. And obviously maintenance out there's gonna be a big thing cos it gets battered by the elements. Through this factory there was the ability to get the sheets laminated together to longer spans without any vertical joins. So by laminating the sheets together, it means that we can get from external corner to internal corner or external to external without any vertical joins. Not only are Sky's blue ply sheets lightweight for transporting, but the minimal joints required means less chance for the sea, salt and rain to get in. The old woolshed on the island is a reminder of why that's smart. You can see how corrosive this environment is. The metal, the corrugated iron, is rusting away, especially below the bottom plate. But even more dramatic is the concrete piles. And the concrete's peeling off. As you can see here, it's exposing the steel, which is rusting, and then it's all blowing out. Look at that. How much longer's that gonna last? To build in an environment like this, you really need to know what the elements are gonna throw at you. I'm curious to meet Sky's architectural designer, Lynda Vugler. Oh my goodness. What an Aladdin's cave. Hi, Lynda. CHUCKLES: Oh, hello. So, this is your workspace, but you live here as well, I see? Yup, yup. Kitchen, bedroom up that end, office. And it's lovely working in a tent. So living on a tent but working on more permanent structures. Yes. Yeah, it's a bit contradictory, isn't it? (LAUGHS) When you're working with Sky, how did you come up with these ideas? Because you actually camped, like you are now, on Slipper Island, didn't you? Oh, I did, yes. That was such a cool, um` Yeah, cool little adventure, actually. Being under the pohutukawas with no power and a long drop that was on a 45-degree angle, so a little precarious for use. And the weather changed, and I got marooned out there. (LAUGHS) Wow. How did you kind of think about the land? Well, I got to sit on it, you know, in the rain, in the sunshine ` all weathers and conditions. Check exactly where the sun was coming up, then where it was setting. For me, it's a little bit of a meditative thing, and I just soak up the wider environment. And then I really just put any skills or any drawing skills, anything that I've developed over the years, architecturally, at the disposal of Sky's best interests, really. So, if you were to tell me the deep inner nature of this house was deeply informed by something... What`? Informed by the conditions at sea. (LAUGHS) I have huge admiration for the way that Lynda works. You can only truly understand an environment by spending time in it, especially if that environment is extreme. But while those same extremes trapped Lynda on the island, right now, they're stranding Frank on the mainland. The Tairua bar is notoriously dangerous. If it's ever too big, we just don't go out, simple as that, cos obviously our lives and safety are paramount. There's no telling when Frank will be able to cross back over to the island. It's one of several times he has been delayed like this so far, and it's starting to take a serious toll on Sky's schedule. The whole build is based around the conditions, really. If it's not favourable, then the whole job comes to a grinding halt sometimes. (GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC) It's almost summer on Slipper Island ` originally when Sky was hoping that his off-grid escape would be finished. There's still a long way to go, but I'm impressed with their progress. Wow, OK. Yeah. You have been busy. It's a huge step forward. You can still see the tops of all the pohutukawa. Yeah. The way it kind of wraps around and embraces a kind of arrival court. Yeah, yeah, that was the thoughts we were having through the design process. And to actually see it now, sitting nestled in behind those pohutukawas, even coming in from the sea, it's just tucked away so perfectly. 'I'm joining Sky today for the installation of his unique blue ply cladding.' How's your hammer hand? (CHUCKLES) We need an extra man, mate. It's a bit rusty. Well, so is mine. But it'll be good if we can both get in there and tune up our hammering skills a bit more. Can't wait. On the tools. On the tools, mate. (CHUCKLES) Just don't rough up the cladding, mate. (LAUGHS) I'll let you go in first, Chris. Cool. Just be mindful of that laminated join. Those joins are real strong when they're on edge, but when they're on their flat, we've gotta be quite careful. Right. So that top one there's our height. Right. If we get one side in, and then we can` I'll bow the middle out, so you hold your side in, Chris. Yep. (INTRIGUING MUSIC) So, we're just gonna tack them in place with the finishing gun, and then when can plumb our lines down and nail them off properly. Sure. You haven't seen this in a long time, eh, Frank? Nah. (CHUCKLES) It's been a while. 'Sky and Frank met at primary school, and both trained as apprentice builders as teenagers.' So we can call this the Sky corner. Oh, yeah, the rough one. (BOTH LAUGH) (HAMMERS BANG) Awesome. Good work. That's the longest sheet of ply I've ever seen. Yeah. Yeah. Sheets this big are very unusual. Most sheets are 2.4, and sometimes you can get them 2.7 or 3. But this long is very unusual. There you go. It's just a beauty fit. That's what you call made to fit. We're just starting to see for the first time what this cladding system's gonna look like, so you can see this panel, this panel, the negative joint just above the Z flashing. Looks lovely. And no vertical battens anywhere. Just from the small bit there, you stand back and visualise the whole building like that. I think it's gonna be a feature in itself. I love the way this roof just kind connects everything together. It's beautiful. It's one of my favourite spots in here. Not only is it connecting the two buildings, and having the roof on the single plane going all the way through, it also provides another entertainment area away from the north side. So if the winds are blowing from the north, we've got entertainment here, where we can spread those windows right open. It's just another good living option, so it can be used in any conditions as well. This is our family room. And I've gotta say, that's one of my favourite views, right down to Home Bay there. And then, down here, we have the lounge. And what I really love about this area is the split level, and just having it still in contact with every other space around the house, but still feeling separated and private too. I like what I'm seeing in terms of the way that you're placing windows and things. Like, there's a lovely high window there, and then your beautiful long vertical, right-to-the-floor windows, to bring the light in. Yeah, on the island, you wanna capture the views and the sunlight, and then also create something special for the design of the building, to give it its character. A house like this, I think, should be designed to experience the outside. So not only are we gonna be planning on living a lot of the time inside, but just as much outside. So there is a massive coverage of deck area, and it's gonna be wrapping around the whole northern face of the building, and you can access any part of the building through it, and also provide more areas to relax and enjoy that view and the island. Every aspect of Sky's holiday home has been carefully crafted for the unique nature of island living. For me, the real beauty is in how well it sits with the land. Here I am sitting in the pohutukawa which they look out on, and I'm just reflecting on the house and how beautifully it tunes into the land. Effectively, what the pohutukawa's doing is creating a big, singular canopy. And the house is doing something very similar ` just this lovely big, simple canopy, which is following the line of the land. And then what happens is a series... of platforms step down, and what you get as a result is this. It's complex, under this very simple line of the roof. (GENTLE MUSIC) By March, weather and challenging access have put Sky's build almost four months behind schedule. He is now almost $400,000 over budget, and he is starting to cut back to save money, starting today with the plans to power his off-grid home. We've changed from our original plan ` roll-on solar panel, so it's flexible ` but at the same time it was... by the time we added up the roofing style, the solar system, the cost was just about to blow the budget out of the water. While Sky is back at home on the mainland, Frank is having to create a new concrete base under the house for the replacement system's larger batteries. What would be a simple pour on the mainland is not so straightforward on an island. So, we've added our 1.5m3 of aggregate. We've now a 250 kilos of cement, which is on the generous side, cos it's a lot easier to come over-strength than under-strength out here. We definitely don't want that. Normally, on land, it would come in a truck ` you make the phone call and it turns up. So, yeah, there's a lot more work involved, but it ends up with the same result. Good brew ` good consistency. Just a difficult spot to be pouring concrete. The 12 large solar panels Sky's installing are costing $50,000 ` half the price of the previous, concealed system. The unfortunate thing about the cheaper solar system is it's a lot more... visual impact on the whole design. You've got these great panels on the roof, with the frame supporting them, rather than the other system was going to be completely aesthetically pleasing, by hiding away. One panel on. Awesome. That's bloody sturdy, eh? I don't think it's gonna go anywhere, is it? Shit, no. Definitely not. That's not even gonna vibrate in the wind, I don't reckon, once that's all tightened up. Sky has saved more than $50,000 by changing his solar system. But I'm worried that the pop-up panels are going to seriously compromise his vision for a seamless roofline. Right now, though, Sky's focus is on the cladding. It's been six weeks since he's been able to get back to the island, and he's itching to see the result. He is tantalisingly close to realising his dream of a sanctuary away from the pressures of home. Now, I'm really stoked with that. It's just worked out perfectly. That colour blue ` especially when you're standing up there, you can see the house, and it matches with the same colour of the ocean, and the whitewash just gives it that really modern line. I'm hanging out to look at those architraves. Oh, cool, cool. That's gonna work. That's gonna work. Yep. I'm happy with that colour. The colour choices ` all the blues and whites ` it's a nautic theme. And with the marlin up right there, it's gonna fit right in, and all the sculptures that I have, as well, of sea creatures all carved ` especially the one over here, too; I've got a giant statue of eagle rays and turtles. It's about this high. So that will fit directly into that space over there. And then a few other ones of whales and dolphins and octopuses that will fit in this one. I do that every time I come in ` imagine the finished product, the look, the furniture I'm gonna put in, the kids running around. Sweet! (CHUCKLES) Cool. And the decks. Whoa. Cool. You guys have been busy, eh? The huge decks make up almost 40% of the total floor area. Now they're in place, they cover over 170m2. Starting to see the vision, anyway. This is undoubtedly going to be a generous, stylish and comfortable holiday home for Sky's family to retreat from the mainland. But I'm still not convinced that Sky and his family will relish the isolation of staying here. When I was a kid, we lived off-grid. I was a bit young to remember about all of that, but growing up on the coast of Thames. Some people call it a hippy commune, but... (CHUCKLES) yeah, this is a lot different than a bloody hippy commune, though. (CHUCKLES) Yeah. It's hard enough to keep him here for long already. Cool. I'm going back to the mainland. (STATELY MUSIC) (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC) Sky initially allowed just six months to build his private hideaway on remote Slipper Island. In the end, it's taken him nearly a year and a half. I'm really excited to see how Sky has managed to get on, because this island is something quite special. And the site and the way that the house tunes into the landscape is really important to me. (GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES) This has been no ordinary project. Sky and the build team have battled the weather, the ocean and the challenges of isolation. Oh my goodness ` look at this! So beautifully hunkered down into the land. Magic! Congratulations. Yeah, cheers. Wow! I can't believe what you've managed to pull off. Yeah, I've impressed myself a little bit, actually. It's just... it's stunning. The colour is wicked. I can't believe how successful it is. It's been a worry for me through the whole build. And even the builders have been saying, 'Oh my God, he's mad. What's he doing?' And it's all come together at the end. 'You've nailed it, mate.' You know, the first thing I notice is this lovely welcome ` this embrace. And this gap all the way through has worked so well. Champing at the bit; can't wait to get inside. Yeah, I'll show you. (PEACEFUL MUSIC) Oh my goodness. Yeah. It's almost like stepping into a boat. Yeah, it is. It does have that feel. The whole nautical theme. Yeah. Wow. I love the flow of the spaces. Everything steps on to the next thing. And over here... this almost feels like another world. But still connected to every other space around it, and it's what I love about open-plan split-levels. Yeah, it's working really well ` the connection from deck to inside to outside again. And even that wonderful little glimpse down to Home Bay. And the roof really holds this view. You know, it really shapes it. It's almost like the brow ` a cap. Yeah. The split levels, open plan and large windows really make the most of Sky's unique island location. Every room has a view and plenty of natural light. I can just feel the way your house tracks the sun. I love it. Yeah. And then you've got all these gems everywhere. Another one. All of these were specifically bought for the house from Hawaii. I came across this carver, and seeing the talent that he has, it would just be perfect for a nautical home. I bought his whole little shop out. The whole thing? The whole thing. Sky's love of the see is visible in every inch of this home. You can feel the sense of boyhood fantasy that inspired him to build on a island. So, what's through here? Now this is my part of the house. Boy, you feel it straight away. Yeah ` the heat. The climate, the heat, the wind. It's completely different down this end of the house. We get hit in every direction here, and that was a part of Lynda's design process of creating areas that you can use that are protected out of each wind direction. It really feels like the captain's quarters. Yeah, I just pop open the globe, and whisky hidden away. No way! (LAUGHS) I really like this area, too ` that sanctuary within a sanctuary. The thing that I love about this space is the inside-outside connection. Yeah. And push. Wow. (WIND ROARS) It is windy out there, isn't it? Boom. Straight into the storm. From the captain's quarters... to out on the brick. Yep. This is magnificent. It is, isn't it? Yeah. (LIGHT-HEARTED MUSIC) Sky and his team have created a stunning and versatile home. The whole family will be able to enjoy the mix of private and shared spaces and the wonderful natural flow from inside to out. I think what you've managed to pull off here is nothing short of miraculous. Oh, thank you, mate. I'm just blown away by it, myself. Amazing, really, because I'm sure it's really, really hard for most people to comprehend what it takes to build on an isolated island like this. The big question, of course ` would you do it again? No. (BOTH LAUGH) No. No, not on an island, no. Yeah, never. I wouldn't recommend it. (CHUCKLES) Tell me ` what were some of the biggest challenges that you had on this build? For me, my biggest challenge would be... just trying to stick to the budget. And the original budget was...? 1.1 million. And how did you do? It finished off at 1.5 million. Right, so you blew the budget like everybody else. Yeah. You know, I don't regret anything about this house, and I don't regret the cost, either. The money that was overspent went into important places, and this is a home that I will never sell in my life, and I'll pass it down to the kids when I go, so it's important. Is there anything that you would change? Probably come up with a million things in six months' time, but I'm content. Early on, I got quite concerned about, you know ` hmm... was the elegance of this beautiful roof gonna be compromised by the solar panels? The thing that I love about the building is the fact that the elements are not all connected, and it's the same with the roof; the solar panels are not hard on the roof ` there's a gap. That gap opens and connects through to the sea and through to the pohutukawa trees. And that's beautiful. I really like it. That was a complete accident. (BOTH LAUGH) Well, what a great accident. Yeah. How much time do you think you're actually gonna spend out here, in the end? I'd like to spend as much time as I can. Realistically, I think it's gonna be about 50-50. Oh boy ` so quite a lot more than you were originally anticipating. It's a place to be enjoyed. If I can fit more in, I prefer it. But the children ` they have to get to school. Yeah, we'll be spending time at the house in Tairua and time here. I'm trying to get them hooked on fishing, so they can come out with me on some of my excursions out to sea and get the fishing bug. (GIRLS SQUEAL) Spending undisturbed time with his family was a big motivator for Sky in building his island escape. The girls, friend Sea and his girlfriend, Vicky, will all be a big part of making it a home. (PEACEFUL MUSIC) How you doing? Hello! ALL: Cheers! Whoo-hoo. So, tell me, what do you guys think of the house? It's definitely Sky's house, and that shows through everything that he's done, and I think he's done an amazing job, and he should be really proud of what he's done. In the end result, I think everyone can see the method to your madness. (LAUGHS) And the results speak for themselves. It's just stunning. Thanks. I like the colour scheme. You like the colours? Yeah. I enjoy just going around. Exploring? Yeah. Are you guys hungry? I found these on the rocks today! Argh! (LAUGHTER) Architecture is not about structure, form and space. It's also about transformation. What Sky has done here is not only build a new home, he's also built a new life for himself and his family. Living on a remote island means reconnecting with the elements and disconnecting with the larger world. Sky is searching for the perfect balance, and here he has a chance to find it. (HAUNTING MUSIC) (GULLS CALL) Captions by Madison Batten and James Brown. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017