---
okf_version: "0.2"
type: "Article"
title: "Love Home Swap House by Lovell and O’Connell Architects"
description: "We stayed in luxury at a house in Wanaka with magnificent views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Check out this architecture award winner!"
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/new-zealand/love-home-swap-wanaka"
language: en
author: "Justine Tyerman"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 6
tags: ["Architecture", "Landscape", "New Zealand"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/new-zealand"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/sydney"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/architecture"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/landscape"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/lake"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/experience-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/hiking"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/luxury-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/winter-tourism"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/tyermanj", at: 2026-07-04T13:34:49+00:00 }
sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: love-home-swap-wanaka.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Justine Tyerman"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/tyermanj"
    last_modified: 2016-04-13
timestamp: 2026-07-04T13:34:49+00:00
---

# Love Home Swap House by Lovell and O’Connell Architects

> A cedar-clad, architecture award-winning house in Wanaka, New Zealand, available through Love Home Swap, offering stunning views of Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountains in a warmly designed home inspired by historic miners' huts.

## Destination
Wanaka, New Zealand

## Getting there
Fly Air New Zealand to Queenstown, then drive via rental car (e.g. JUCY Rentals, collected from Queenstown or Christchurch Airport).

## When to go
April is ideal — autumn colours are dazzling, temperatures suit vigorous outdoor activity, and the summer heat and crowds have dissipated.

## Why visit
A beautifully designed, award-winning home in a spectacular alpine-lake setting, combining architectural interest with easy access to hiking, cycling and lake-edge walks.

## What to see
- **Lake Wanaka** — Panoramic lake and mountain views, especially striking during an approaching storm.
- **Mount Iron** — Early-morning hike with rewarding views over the lake and surrounding peaks.
- **Millennium Track** — Lake-edge walk from Glendu Bay to town, passing New Zealand's most photographed tree.
- **Clutha River outlet track** — Poplar-lined cycling route along one of the world's swiftest rivers, spectacular in autumn colour.

## What to do
- **Hiking** — Trails include Mt Iron and the Millennium Track from Glendu Bay.
- **Cycling** — Bikes available at the house; the poplar-lined Clutha outlet track is a highlight.
- **Home swapping via Love Home Swap** — A points-based system lets members stay at homes worldwide without needing a simultaneous swap.

## Good to know
The house uses passive solar design with concrete floors and walls that absorb daytime heat, supplemented by an air-to-water heat pump underfloor system, keeping it warm even in winter. Love Home Swap operates a points currency allowing flexible, non-simultaneous exchanges.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Wanaka-Love-Home-Swap-House-Picture-Tim-Lovell.jpg"
    caption: "Wanaka Love Home Swap House by Tim Lovell"
    keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Love Home Swap", "New Zealand", "home swap"]
    captured: 2013-01-05
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/View-Wanaka-Mount-Iron.jpg"
    caption: "View of Wanaka and Mount Iron"
    keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Love Home Swap", "New Zealand", "home swap"]
    captured: 2016-04-12
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Mount-Aspiring-Lake-Wanaka-Millennium-Walkway.jpg"
    caption: "Mount Aspiring and Lake Wanaka from Millenium Walkway"
    keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Love Home Swap", "New Zealand", "home swap"]
    captured: 2016-04-08
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Chris-kitchen-Wanaka-Love-Home-Swap-house.jpg"
    caption: "What's cooking, Chris?"
    keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Love Home Swap", "New Zealand", "home swap"]
    captured: 2016-04-12
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Wanaka-Love-Home-Swap-house-dinner.jpg"
    caption: "Chris Tyerman dining with friends"
    keywords: ["Justine Tyerman", "Love Home Swap", "New Zealand", "home swap"]
    captured: 2016-04-12
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/JUC-mobile-Lake-Wanaka.jpg"
    caption: "JUC-mobile waving goodbye on our last day"
    keywords: ["New Zealand", "Wanaka"]
    captured: 2016-04-13
```