Christchurch Modern » Uncategorized

Thank you, Maurice Edward Mahoney.

admin — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 22:28:42 +0000

Bad news. Sad news. The great architect Maurice Mahoney has died in his 90th year. When Maurice teamed up with Miles Warren in 1958 to establish New Zealand’s greatest 20th century design partnership, the two architects were unstoppable. They revolutionised architecture in New Zealand, developing the distinctive ‘Christchurch Style’ which, let’s face it, was the Warren & Mahoney style.

The pair were hugely influential, much imitated and, when all is said and done, unambiguously the best modern architects New Zealand has produced.

Maurice was known for his quiet, calm, determined demeanour, exceptional drawing ability, his Citroen DS, attention to detail, unfailing modesty and Shenandoah beard (not pictured). He was a family man, ceramicist, carpenter, designer and Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM). But above all he was an architect, responsible for producing many of New Zealand’s best 20th century buildings – a fact he would politely deflect, shrug his shoulders and change the subject.

Our sympathies to the Mahoney family, Maurice’s colleagues and to his friend, Sir Miles, who says in his autobiography, “Maurice was much better organised and practical than I – a born maker. I initiated most of the early designs, but Maurice led the making of them; the one process cannot be divided from the other. We were a true partnership.”

Top image
Left: F. Miles Warren; Right: M E Mahoney

M E Mahoney House plans 1966

68 Merrin St. Macaulay House. Don Cowey

admin — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 02:12:18 +0000

A low-pitched survivor built in ’69 from Canadian Oregon and trusty concrete blocks in the modern ranch style. The interior is a masterclass in spatial arrangement with Don using partial-height walls, glass partitions and his trademark sliding shoji screens.

Thanks to Melissa for the tip.

Bye Peter Beaven.

admin — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 08:09:19 +0000

Peter died yesterday and we’re sad. He was a hero to us. He road his bicycle to work every day, answered the office phone himself and designed with extraordinary skill, imagination and purpose. At the age of 86 he was busy: working and telling everybody what he thought, wearing his uniform of white chinos and navy fisherman’s jumper. “There’s no time to decide what to wear every day”. Until yesterday, Peter was still Christchurch’s best young architect.

The (almost) definitive W&M pics.

admin — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:15:35 +0000

Since that bastard earthquake local architect Justin has photographed pretty much all of the pre-1980 Christchurch W&M houses. He tells us the missing ones are RC Ballantyne (back section on Glandovey Rd), Hyslop flats, Fox House, Dorset Flats, Dorset Towers and Weston Flats (within the restricted CBD cordon). Quite an effort!

W&M earthquake casualties

admin — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 09:26:46 +0000

These are the facts: many of Christchurch’s post-war modernist buildings are badly damaged and will be demolished. Warren & Mahoney’s 1960s houses defined the Christchurch Style and a lot of them are poked:

ME Mahoney House (the best Pixie house) – badly subsided and cracked

MJW Davis House (the best hill house) – irreparably damaged

I Munro House – blockwork veneer missing and cracks evident

Dorset Street Flats (the original) – walls down and red stickered

Carlton Mill Flats – Collapsed and already demolished

MB Warren House (the first Pixie) – slumped and badly cracked

LJ Beatty House - blockwork veneer missing

Broderick Flats – red stickered, chimneys down

Arse.

Don Cowey.

admin — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:41:05 +0000

We were asked by the Dominion Post for some information on Don. Here’s what I wrote.

I met him just the once. He invited me and my friend Tim to his home. We had a cup of tea and he talked about his career and the houses he designed. He was modest, but proud of his achievements. He spoke kindly about his contemporaries and reverently about Peter Beaven whom he called “the master of space”.

He told his story happily, but quite factually and talked us through his designs, good and bad. Some houses he was fond of, others he said weren’t so great. I asked him about the inconsistency and he confessed he always felt like the ‘servant’ to his client. He said other designers, Miles Warren in particular, were able to dictate to clients. Don admired Miles for this, but admitted it just wasn’t his way and he yielded to his clients wishes as he felt “it was their house” and “I just did my best”. He wondered aloud if it were his Christian beliefs?
His most successful designs were for ‘enlightened’ clients: Professor John Walker in Halswell, Professor John McLauchlan and the artist Olivia Spencer Bower in Merivale and the Brougham Village, which won NZIA 2008 award for enduring architecture. He also won the NZIA merit award in 1967 for a house at the end of Burrowes Pl in Fendalton. It’s probably one of the country’s best examples of Japanese-influenced Modernism, now decaying and unappreciated in a suburban culdesac.

He was one of New Zealand’s great modern architects – a major figure in the “Christchurch Style” – and it’s important he’s recognised as such. He would never have said it himself, but he was a great architect.

The image is of Don & Jocelyn’s original home on Main Rd, Redcliffs (since demolished)

Earthquakes, we hate you.

admin — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:15:12 +0000

Our thoughts are with everyone in Christchurch affected by the February 22 Earthquake. We’re particularly saddened by the death of Don Cowey, legendary Christchurch architect and all round good guy, who was killed as a result of falling rocks at his Redcliffs home.

This one is going to take a while to get over.

Pictured are Warren & Mahoney’s MJW Davis (top) and I Munro houses.

Lost Property. Auckland Modern.

admin — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:32:55 +0000

For Auckland readers, if there are any, please visit Greg’s new project Lost Property – a site about Auckland’s fast disappearing built and social history. There’s great photos and writing about some of the lesser known and very talented Northerners.

155 Ashgrove Tce. Architect Unknown.

admin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:23:00 +0000

Rover parking only in this 1970s mix of Japanese, Scandinavian and Christchurch influences on the Cashmere flats. And if you want a chimney that laughs in the face of earthquakes, here’s your guy.

9 Cracroft Tce. Poore House. Minson, Henning Hansen.

admin — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 08:10:14 +0000

Great weather over the weekend, perfect for peeking over fences and spotting this T-shape beauty up on the Cashmere Hills. The solid garage door doesn’t feel right, but it’s a remarkably intact, well cared for original home.