Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Biv is a small black cabin tucked into the native rainforest near Punakaiki, on the wild West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. Designed by architect Mark in Hong Kong and featured on Living Big in a Tiny House by his brother Andrew, it reimagines the region’s old gold miners’ huts with modern comforts, big glass, and a bathtub aimed straight at a nikau palm.
A Miners’ Hut, Reimagined
The cabin’s shape takes its cue from the historic miners’ huts of the West Coast: a simple form, corrugated metal, and a steep chimney. A metal tray wraps both the roof and the walls, and there are no gutters at all. The native trees drop leaves all year, so the design simply lets rainwater run off. Out front, cedar and purple-heart decking leads to a deliberately small front door that opens into a surprisingly tall interior.
The cabin sits among nikau palms and ferns about halfway between Greymouth and Westport, a short walk from Truman Beach and a few minutes’ drive from the famous Pancake Rocks. Andrew describes it as about 46 square meters plus a 6-square-meter mezzanine.
A Vaulted Living Room Open to the Forest
Inside, cross-laminated timber lines the walls and ceiling, polished concrete covers the floor, and a triangular window sits high in the peak. A leather sofa faces two big sliding doors that open the room to the bush, with a wood stove to one side. Overhead, a skylight more than two and a half meters long lets you lie back on the fold-out couch and watch the stars.
A Black Kitchen and a Seat by the Glass
The kitchen is small and all black, a finish that carries up onto the mezzanine ceiling so that end of the room feels cozy and enclosed. A seat by the window works for breakfast or a laptop, with the forest right outside. Storage is kept minimal on purpose, since this is a holiday retreat where you bring only what you need.
A Bedroom and Bath Aimed at the Trees
The bed faces a large frameless window with a nikau palm just outside. Storage tucks under the bed to keep walkways clear, and the ground drops away beyond the window for treehouse-style views.
The bathroom is the cabin’s dark, cave-like retreat, with dark tile and a soaking tub aimed at the same palm. A warm painted ceiling, the only paint in the cabin, makes the green outside pop. There’s a flushing toilet and a vanity with a backlit mirror.
Built to Last
Andrew puts the build at around $600,000 NZD, with super-insulated walls and no need for curtains in such a private setting. Biv has won multiple design awards, including gold from the Designers Institute of New Zealand.
Watch the Full Tour
Living Big in a Tiny House walks through the whole cabin with Andrew in this video.
Video: Living Big in a Tiny House, “Cabin In The Woods 2.0 – An Architect’s Amazing Vision.”
Stay Details
- Location: near Punakaiki on New Zealand’s West Coast, about halfway between Greymouth and Westport
- Size: about 46 m² plus a 6 m² mezzanine
- Sleeps: up to 4 (king bed in the bedroom, queen sofa bed on the mezzanine); children welcome
- Features: wood stove, large skylight, sliding glass doors, soaking tub, flushing toilet
- Nearby: Truman Beach (5-minute walk), Pancake Rocks (5-minute drive), Pororari River Walk
Good to Know
- Stock up first: the nearest supermarkets are in Westport and Greymouth, each about 45 minutes away. The kitchen has a two-burner induction cooktop, a microwave, an under-bench fridge, and a Nespresso machine.
- Connectivity: mobile reception is limited, but there’s Wi-Fi.
- Sleeping: the mezzanine sofa bed is up a ladder. Two single airbeds can be set up in the lounge instead.
- No pets unless the listing says otherwise, and infants need their own portacot and bedding.
What Makes This Cabin Special
- A modern take on the West Coast’s historic miners’ huts.
- Glass and skylights that keep you connected to the rainforest day and night.
- A bathtub and bed both aimed at a nikau palm.
- An award-winning design you can actually stay in.
For more beautifully designed forest cabins, see this mirrored cabin in a Cairngorms pine forest, Unyoked’s off-grid cabins in Dalby Forest, and the Pumice House, a strawbale tiny home in New Zealand.
Learn More
Biv Punakaiki
Website: bivpunakaiki.com
Official site: Canopy Camping Escapes
Instagram: @biv_punakaiki
Video tour: Living Big in a Tiny House · Episode page
Video stills: Living Big in a Tiny House.
Highlights
- Award-winning black cabin in New Zealand’s Punakaiki rainforest
- Inspired by historic West Coast miners’ huts
- Vaulted timber living room with a wood stove and stargazing skylight
- Bed and soaking tub aimed at a nikau palm
- Sleeps up to 4
Explore More
- This Mirrored Cabin Disappears Into a Cairngorms Pine Forest
- Unyoked’s Off-Grid Cabins in Dalby Forest
- This Tiny Cabin in the Woods Feels Like a Real-Life Postcard
- The Carpentree: An A-Frame Treehouse Hung in Four Trees
- Cabins
- Video Tours
Would you book a night in Biv just for that bathtub view? Tell us in the comments.
If you enjoyed this you’ll LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with even more!
You can also join our Small House Newsletter!
Also, try our Tiny Houses For Sale Newsletter! Thank you!
More Like This: Cabins | Small Houses | Vacations | Airbnb & Rentals | Video Tours | Tours & Features
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Alex
Latest posts by Alex (see all)
- Biv: An Award-Winning Black Cabin in New Zealand’s Punakaiki Rainforest - October 29, 2026
- Loxley Forest: A Rope-Bridge Treehouse 60 Feet Up in the North Georgia Mountains - October 29, 2026
- Nyth y Barcud: A Level-Access Oak Treehouse Above a Stream in Mid Wales - October 29, 2026
