A Slice Of Home

This Auckland man longed for an outdoor space that reminded him of Mauritius. He found the perfect collaborator in fellow Mauritian Arnaud Daurat, who designed a garden with its heart in the Indian Ocean and its roots in the Pacific.

- Carol Bucknell

When Michel Adolphe wanted to revamp the outdoor living areas of his Castor Bay home on Auckland’s North Shore he was keen to recreate the atmosphere of Mauritius, the island in the Indian Ocean where he was born. But how to find a landscape designer who would understand the unique flavour of his birthplace?

After contacting landscape design and build practice Branché Landscapes on a friend’s recommendation, Michel was delighted to discover that managing director and head designer Arnaud Daurat was born in Mauritius.

“My wife, Tania, and I both like to travel to tropical locations,” says Michel. “Being from Mauritius, I wanted to recreate a little piece of paradise here at home. Knowing that Arnaud was also originally from Mauritius, I knew he would understand the brief better than anyone.”

THE BRIEF

The couple have owned their 500-square-metre property for 10 years and, along with their two teenaged daughters, Courtney and Leticia, love its proximity to the beach and connection with the outdoors. After renovating their home “to create a lighter, more beachy feel” they wanted the outdoor living spaces to also reflect this contemporary beachside vibe.

“Our brief to Branché was for a tropical oasis that would blend with my established English-style garden and allow us to sit outdoors with complete privacy and tranquillity,” says Michel. “And I needed a fence that would keep our wee shih-tzupoodle, Coby, on the property while also acting as a feature rather than an eyesore.”

THE SITE