ARCHITECTURE

Fairhead Sang Carnachan
1. Hilson House 22 O’Neills Avenue (Not open to the public)
Designed by Simon Carnachan, this house comprises of three storeys and is like
living in a luxury cruise liner. All living spaces and bedrooms are splayed along its
elongated plan and open onto glass balconies over looking the water. To create
the foundations and in ground swimming pool, dynamite was used to blast holes
in the black basalt covering the site.
Image: George Gregory
Text: AAA
Contact: ccca.co.nz
McCracken Architecture
2. Minnehaha House & Apartment
26 Minnehaha Avenue (Not open to the public)
Located at the seaward end of the Pupuke lava
flow, this rocky site possesses stunning 180 degree
views of the Hauraki Gulf and islands. Originally,
the site contained a 30 year old, 3- storey, brick
masonry building comprising 3 terrace houses
constructed on a radial plan. The new project
brief required a single, large, 2-storey house with a
penthouse apartment above. Much of the existing
structure was retained in the redesign, which also
involved extending and straightening the seaward
frontage. Internal wall alignment generally relates
to the original radial plan, which is centred on the
circular forecourt. Just off the circular forecourt
is a double height entrance hall at middle level.
Living areas and the main bedroom are positioned
at ground level, while secondary bedrooms are
situated on the floor above. A double height
frame placed on a terrace in front of the house
defines an outdoor room. The house has a refined
material palette of exterior cleft travertine blocks,
travertine floor slabs and unadorned white plaster
walls and ceilings.
Image: George Gregory
Text: Steve McCracken
Contact: +61 405 818 490
Pattersons
3. Dowell House 24 Minnehaha Avenue
This home is articulated by the
stepped volcanic excarpment on which
it sits. A raisable louvered wall gives
privacy from a public walkway in front.
Image: Pattersons
Text: Pattersons
Contact: pattersons.com
Awards: NZIA Resene Northern Regional Award
2001
Pete Bossley Architects
4. Thorne Bay House 22A Minnehaha Avenue
(Not open to the public)
A compact house designed for a
beautiful but small and near-impossible
site! Five well established pohutukawa
inhabit the site, with intertwined limbs
spread across the seaward half of the
available building zone.
The ground floor level comprises
orthogonal spaces, which follow the
slope in a series of steps down towards
the sea, providing sea views from each
level. Upstairs, the rooms become more
angular and free flowing, to reflect
the contortions of the pohutukawa
limbs.
Image: Simon Devitt
Text: bossleyarchitects.co.nz
Contact: bossleyarchitects.co.nz
Awards: Registered Master Builders Auckland
Region Gold Medal 2009, NZ Wood Timber
Design Awards 2009 Residential Architectural
Excellence – Highly Commended