SkyScape — Glass-Roof Stargazing Cabins in the Dark Sky Reserve

The Architecture

Each SkyBed is a private, off-grid retreat, handcrafted from local materials and shaped by passive design principles to sit lightly on the land. Stonework gathered from nearby paddocks, double glazing with thermal mass, and earthen roofs planted with native grasses let the cabins dissolve into the hillside while framing uninterrupted views across the Mackenzie Basin.

SkyScape runs entirely on solar power. Radiators and climate control keep each cabin warm through crisp high-country winters, while automated vents and thermostatically controlled windows cool the interiors on summer days — comfort in every season, with no compromise to the silence.

The cabins sit on Omahau Hill Station, a 6,000-acre working high-country farm cared for by the same family for generations, where 60 acres are regenerating into natural habitat. Days unfold slowly: a soak in the two-metre outdoor bath, breakfast from a curated hamper, reading on the private deck. As dusk fades, the glass roof reveals the brilliance of the southern night sky.

Opened in 2017 and joined by two further SkyBeds in 2020, SkyScape offers one of the rarest stargazing experiences on Earth — a place where the world slows and nature becomes your only company.

The Environment

SkyScape lies ten minutes from Twizel, in the heart of the Mackenzie Region and within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve — one of the largest in the world. Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park, Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo, and the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail are all within easy reach, along with scenic flights, heli trips and guided stargazing.