+ About Christchurch Modern
We're not architects, we're not historians and we don't know much about anything. However we do like modern houses and Christchurch is a great place for them.
If you know of a house that deserves a mention please let us know. If we've made a mistake, do the same. If you like the site, tell your friends. If you hate the site, tell your friends you like it anyway. It's a minor white lie that anyone would forgive.

For Sale. Park Lane. Humphrey Hall.

Park Lane is up for sale. Who cares? You do. It’s arguably New Zealand’s first modernist house, designed in 1938 by Humphrey after returning from London. He was clearly impressed with Corbusier and designed this villa in the streamlined International Style complete with nautical details and an open sun-deck. Back when UV exposure, like smoking, was good for your health.This house is one of the most important modern homes in the country. Robin Simpson’s own Remuera House and Ernst Plishke’s Frankl House are of the same time, but quite different in style. Park Lane is really one-of-a-kind and features in pretty much all the books, including Julia Gatley’s Long Live the Modern and Douglas Lloyd Jenkins At Home. It also featured in New Zealand Home & Entertaining’s Top 50 homes of the Century list Top 50 Homes of the Century (pdf download).

Remarkably, the house looks pretty original. The built-in furniture and kitchen seem intact, the iron spiral stairs are present and all it really needs is a sympathetic hug and  few swings of a sledgehammer to open up the roof deck again. Happy bidding.

View the Harcourts listing

Thanks Andrew for the tip

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012 at 9:07 pm and is filed under Out of Town. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

7 Responses to “For Sale. Park Lane. Humphrey Hall.”

  1. Pie Says:
    August 23rd, 2012 at 8:40 pm

    Are you going to mention it has a Rateable Value of just $310 000???

  2. admin Says:
    August 23rd, 2012 at 8:42 pm

    Nah

  3. Jeremy Says:
    December 11th, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    Anyone know what it sold for? Hopefully not too cheap, or I’ll be dreaming of the possibilities of how I might have lived there myself…

  4. admin Says:
    January 16th, 2013 at 8:32 pm

    $340,000. Tempted to move down from Auckland?

  5. Julie Says:
    February 17th, 2013 at 4:36 pm

    A developer has bought the property and I’m sad to say the house is to be demolished to make way for town houses.
    Park Lane will never be the same…

  6. Catherine Drayton Says:
    March 6th, 2013 at 9:43 pm

    Julie, I cant believe it sold for so little and will be knocked down. I thought about trying to buy it but I was sure it would be out of my league.

  7. Andrew Says:
    April 5th, 2014 at 10:22 pm

    I would hate to see this go. There are not a lot of Modern home in Timaru. Is there anything the Historic Places can do? I had a look through it a year ago and as the photos show it is still very original inside.

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