I gazed up from the comfort of my bed at the night sky, a mottled canvas of stars. A dazzling show of constellations, shooting stars and the occasional satellite whizzed across the heavens. Outside the wind blew through the tussock. Something small - a skink, or maybe a rabbit - dashed past. Somewhere outside, sheep were sleeping, or perhaps watching too. I was spending the night in at PurePods - a...
Showering nude in a glass cabin, totally exposed to the outside world, is a confronting experience. No matter how many times you've been reassured nobody will disturb you, it's undeniably odd. The glass cabin in question was the Atatū PurePod, located about 90 minutes north-east of Christchurch and perched high above the coastline on an historic Greta Valley sheep farm. The pod, the newest in a...
It took the owners of PurePods eight years to develop and build the first 20-square-metre glass tiny house. The part that took the longest? Determining how the technology would run inconspicuously through the home. Because PurePods aren’t your typical tiny houses. Instead, they’re cabins made entirely of glass. Glass walls, a glass ceiling and even clear, glass-like furniture. “The concept...
These six isolated cabins (pictured above) are spread across a large swathe of South Island, each one offering something slightly different, whether it's whale-watching in the Kaikōura region or wine-tasting in Waipara. Common to all, however, are the sweeping landscapes - of mountains, pastures, sea and sky - brought to the fore by floor to ceiling windows (and total lack of distracting modern features...
New Zealand is known for its gorgeous scenery, Lord of the Rings inspired rolling hills, tranquil atmosphere, and friendly people. With all this in mind, New Zealand is one of the world’s best hot spots for getaways… including a honeymoon! Honeymooning whilst reducing your footprint, can be difficult. But with New Zealand’s ‘clean green’ mantra, the country offers a huge variety of...
Following the successful launch of the latest all glass room by PurePod, travel experts at New Zealand In Depth have launched a new itinerary to allow guest to see New Zealand’s South Island across a week-long pod hoping itinerary. The PurePod concept was first launched in 2014 when architect and visionary, Grant Ryan designed an all glass room allowing guests to stay overnight with...
Humans’ stress response reduces just moments after entering a green space, and the term ‘biophilia’ isdefined as the inherent human inclination to affiliate with nature. Glass eco-cabins PurePods are theessence of biophilic design, incorporating natural materials, natural light, vegetation, nature and viewsand other experiences of the natural world into a minimalist luxury cabin. A sojourn in a...
Spring has sprung in New Zealand. Newborn lambs are frolicking, buds are bursting and the roadsides are filling fast with brightly-coloured daffodils. Still a bit too chilly for full-blown summer camping, now’s the season to test the waters with a bit of Glass-box glamping. And where better to do it than Kaikoura, in New Zealand’s South Island, where there’s a 20-square metre glass hut positioned...
An architecturally astounding, off-grid experience that will teach you what it means to unwind in style. It's a strange moment when you realise that you've never seen a shooting star. Perhaps not surprising though - I've been a city dweller my whole life and camping hasn't always been my forte, having done it only once. In Ireland. In autumn. In the pouring rain. But that all changed on my first night in...
The sense of southern exposure was surprisingly thrilling. I'd been a bit dubious about the idea of spending a night in a cabin made almost entirely of glass: who knew what weirdos could be lurking in the thick bush that surrounds it? The trip from Christchurch did little to quell my fears: a 45-minute drive along long, lonely country roads followed by a steep climb into cloud-covered mountains and a...