b"blue skyof the folly lifting as the wind from Te Hauturu-o-Toi pushes under it. Each assemblage of layered shingles has been painted or stained in one of five Resene hues. In this way, the folly takes on multiple meanings; not only is it an expression of the wind and its voice, but each shingle inherits the role of a feather. Collectively, it's these feathers that provide the appearance that a kkahu (cloak) is draping over the structure, which grounds it within the materials history and its current resting placeabove the whenua on site. The nature-inspired tones were selected to connect the project with the cultural narrative of the site. The stronger colours, such as Resene Waterborne Woodsman Dark Oak and Resene Waterborne Woodsman Whero, give the folly presence from a distance. Up close, the transparency of the stains allows the natural grain of the refinished recycled timber to show through.Sustainability was another key consideration throughout the design and construction process. By salvaging and repurposing the kwila panels, the team minimised waste. Rigorous testing of materials, paints and stains ensured both the aesthetic and impact of the folly were resolved early in the design phase. Where possible, local or recycled materials were prioritised and simple construction methods reduced unnecessary waste.The project construction took place over the course of four weeks and saw the team members travel from different corners of the country to meet at Brick Bay. However, severe weather hit New Zealands North Island mid-build and the team found themselves without power for five days.The weather turned out to be quite the challenge during the project, admits Matt. There was a weather bomb a week or so before Cyclone Gabrielle which put us under pressure to re- cities. I took the lead on the project management side of things andWilliamsayshisfavouritepartoftheprojectwasworking arrange the project timeline. The new plans all worked out quitefocused on mainly ensuring we stuck to our budget, documentedalongside his teammates. Spending time in the sun up north well, and as Cyclone Gabrielle rolled through, we were able to putprogress to discuss with our mentors and adjusted our programmetogetherduringFebruarywasreallyfulfilling.Architectural down the tools for a few days. I think another big challenge of theand timelines for both the off-site and on-site phases of the project.practitioners don't often get the chance to construct their own project was the logistics, but Seth managed those seamlessly. Each team member fell into a role quite naturally as the projectprojects, which is a real shame. This opportunity meant we not Becauseoftheweatherconditions,Williamgotstuckinstarted to pick up, as each one of us brought our own specific set ofonly grew as designers but as friends, too. The respect you gain Auckland on his commute to Brick Bay. The cyclone meant theskills. Because of that clarity, communication was really effective andfor each other through the problem solving is also something not road was blocked and I ended up missing a few days on site. Onceefficient between the team, mentors and Brick Bay. to be overlooked. We were very fortunate to work well together the road was cleared, I relocated closer to Warkworth for theMyfavouritepartoftheprojectwasbeingonsiteandas a team, especially given we are spread across the country.remainder of the on-site portion of the build. Construction itselfwatching the project come to life. It was truly special. We didWhenever you attempt something new for the first time, there was less affected, as the cyclones timing wasn't too impactful. Itabout six months of work in the background to ensure the projectare always plenty of lessons learned. One of the major advantages may have forced us to take some time off, but at least the concretewould be a successand it was well worth it. I also enjoyedof completing a Brick Bay Folly is that architectural graduates was already set so the structure was strongly in place by then. watching the team come together to build the folly. Being thewho are early in their careers get to take in these learnings and Aside from the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, Seth agrees that theonly member with construction experience, it was cool to see theapply them to their future work. With no real client involved and biggest challenge was coordinating logistics across all the differentother guys learning and enjoying the work, says Matt. plenty of mentors to guide them through the process, theyre blackwhitemag.com 71"