This 1960s St Heliers home has received a much-needed rework to suit the modern family lifestyle
In Auckland’s St Heliers, this renovation project by Rogan Nash Architects involved the demolition of a “disastrous 90s extension” appended to a 60s-style home. Kate Rogan and Eva Nash were tasked with “creating a wonderful home for entertaining that suits modern family life”, out of the rubble of the old extension. And they’ve made it appear effortless.
Now a generous four-bedroom home with a pool, you get the feeling that the architects were determined to create an extension that would age well – the opposite, then, to the one that formerly stood. “It is essentially a pavilion,” says Nash of the new addition, which has a medium-grey concrete floor from Peter Fell’s extensive range of colours. “We wanted the living areas to be light, airy and inviting and to have a good sense of flow to the outside.” Connecting graciously to the lawn and pool area, there is plenty of glazing and careful landscaping.
The architects have used thoughtful gestures to ensure the two parts of the house – the old and the new – feel harmonious and connected. As you move between spaces and down a short flight of stairs, for instance, cedar has been used for the ceiling. This creates a subtle but careful nod to what is now the heart of the house: a mid-century inspired kitchen area with a walnut screen and four-metre island bench, also in walnut.
That this kitchen is the heart of the home becomes doubly true with the coloured concrete floor, using product made in New Zealand by Peter Fell. By collecting heat during the day, it keeps the pavilion warm in the evenings. This serves to lower power bills, in addition to looking great. The concrete floor is also emphatically practical. It’s a breeze to keep clean, and the owners don’t need to worry about water from the nearby pool being traipsed through the house.
“The clients delight in mid-century-modern design and we were keen to incorporate elements of this aesthetic throughout the house,” say the architects. But far from simply recreating mid-century style in the 2020s, the house manages to feel effortlessly contemporary with flashes of its 60s inspiration.
Critical to this is the concrete floor throughout the pavilion, rather than the traditional wood you might expect. A ground-concrete solution, the floor accentuates the walnut and white paint to create a harmonious whole. In certain lights, glimpses of a reflection of the beautiful walnut screen can be seen in the concrete, creating a sense of depth.
Rogan Nash has created a great-looking house that retains all its practicality. And it’s that practicality that will keep it looking fresh and relevant in the decades to come.
Peter Fell
peterfell.co.nz
