29 Cannon Hill Cr. Minson, Henning Hansen.
If we had a dollar for every ugly aluminium conservatory / sun room added to a Christchurch Modern home we’d have at least $64. The house is guilty – $65 - but the original unpainted concrete blockwork outside and stunning timber detailing inside leaves all forgiven. The fireplace in the living room is a behemoth and a thing of beauty.
September 25th, 2010 at 10:43 am
just a small point but Holger Henning Hansen when he was alive was at great pains to point out that his name was not hyphenated. Henning was his mother’s surname and in the Danish tradition was given both his parents’ surname without a hyphen. This was often a bit too hard for New Zealanders to grasp but Holger never stopped politely correcting people who got it wrong.
September 26th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Frank, we’re glad you (politely) pointed this out. Holger thanks you.
Evidently, he used the hyphenated version in business – the firm was named “Minson, Henning-Hansen” and later “Minson, Henning-Hansen & Dines”. Presumably it was simpler for New Zealanders who had surnames like Kirk, or Crump, or Dagg.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:37 pm
We recently purchased this classic 1960s house, and will one day retire to it. Indeed the fireplace is a bohemoth, but still gives out a fine gas flame for warmth, and divides the living space well. The basement sports an oil-fired central heating system that we are too scared to use – but it is presumably an industrial archeological specimen of note.
The siting of the house maximizes its sunny aspect with fine views, and is very well sheltered from the Easterly and Southerly winds.
August 5th, 2011 at 10:43 am
So glad to find this! We used to live at 29a around 2001-2003 – the unit attached to 29. Our neighbours Bev and Dennis lived in 29. From memory Bev told us the house had been designed for her Aunt?
As Bonnie says the house is very well sheltered from the winds but 29a also was very cunningly designed with deep eaves that really only let sun in in the winter – we seldom had the heater on. It was a lovely house.
November 23rd, 2012 at 4:36 pm
The sad news is that both units are to be demolished. It is just too difficult to repair them. But, hopefully we can build something almost as good. Watch this space!