David Allen was a contemporary of Roger Walker and Ian Athfield at the Auckland Architecture School. This idiosyncratic design borrows from, yet rallies against the formal Christchurch style established in the 60s. It looks good.

…continue reading 71 Parklands Dr. David Allen.

Great looking, original 1970s house that seems to do it all pretty well. The eye-catching sawtooth roof creates lots of open space and light and the centrepiece stone fireplace oozes mid-century cool.

…continue reading 52 Moncks Spur Rd. James Hanna.

This 1970s home is spread the width of the section to take full advantage of the stunning Northern views. Downstairs is a connecting space flowing from kitchen, dining, living and into a library. Upstairs are lots of bedrooms.

…continue reading 21a Tuawera Terrace. Charles Thomas.

This house, built in 1972, was designed for the architect’s family and originally included a flat to help pay the mortgage. The rimu-clad exterior walls are unusually short, but a great sense of vertical space is achieved inside due to the three pyramid-shaped roofs. A flat site was excavated into the hill so all rooms could open on to flat ground.

…continue reading 5 Conifer Pl. Dacombe House. Barry Dacombe.

Designed in 1976 for a wealthy builder, the Forbes House is arguably the grandest of Warren & Mahoney’s residential buildings of the time. The house is formidable: raw, exposed concrete beams dominate, yet it’s elegant and totally cool.

…continue reading 5a Snowdon Rd. Forbes House. Warren & Mahoney.

NZIA 2008 award for enduring architecture.

An ambitious attempt at low-cost living by Christchurch City Council built in 1978. The units turn their back on the less-than-serene Brougham St and included some innovative features for the time including solar water heating. The Smurf-blue paint job is an unfortunate deviation from the original white.

…continue reading Brougham Village. 384 Brougham St. Cowey Mills.

“Before he achieved worldwide fame as an actor, Sam Neill directed this documentary for the National Film Unit about lively New Zealand architect Ian Athfield. It examines the philosophy, achievements and frustrations of one of this country’s most innovative architects,

…continue reading Architect Athfield. 1977 Documentary Film.

The exaggerated, protruding wooden and concrete structural beams give this home a sculptural presence that echoes the work of Warren and Mahoney. It also looks solid and immovable – comforting when you live on a big hill that shakes occasionally.

…continue reading 6 Millhill Ln. Barry Dacombe.

This Cashmere Hills house was featured in Home & Building in May, 1970, who reported that ‘the main view is screened form the entrance porch and revealed in a series of confined glimpses through a combination of door and window openings before unveiling the full panorama form the living room bay windows.’

…continue reading 21 Takahe Dr. Gainsford House. Pascoe and Linton.

Peter Beaven’s 1974 attempt at ‘village living’ is a good one and still looks tight. He avoids the repetition and uniformity of typical townhouses by varying the design of each home. Porthole windows and intersecting rooflines add some fun.

…continue reading Tonbridge Mews. Peter Beaven.

Believed to have been designed by a young architect trained at Warren and Mahoney, this compact 1970s modernist home sticks to the Bauhaus basics. Three staggered boxes – sleeping, eating, living – make the most of a small footprint. It’s simple and it works.

…continue reading 6 Gwynfa Ave. Architect Unknown.

A variant on the Pixie House theme, this one designed in 1970, with a pyramid roof rather than the typical steep pitch gables. Aside from the more conventional roofline, all the Warren & Mahoney 1960s hallmarks are present: white concrete blocks, contrasting grey and rust-red windows.

…continue reading 14 Holliss Ave. Dr W Walshe House. Warren & Mahoney.