- Wellington’s “spaceship” house in Kelson, designed by Rudolph Matern, is for sale.
- The Pickerings bought it in 2017 and upgraded it while maintaining its original character.
- The four-bedroom property has an RV of just under $1m and is listed with Tall Poppy.
Wellington’s “spaceship” house has hit the market for sale with an out-of-this-world makeover.
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When Daniel and Rebecca Pickering first saw 26 Gurney Road, in Kelson, Lower Hutt, eight years ago, their hearts skipped a beat.
The mid-century house looked as if a UFO had landed in the suburb. But what won them over was the view from inside the property – 180 degrees taking in Avalon, the Hutt River to the harbour and Matiu/Somes Island.
The house boasts stunning views from the floor-to-ceiling windows that circle the house. Photo / Supplied
The vendors have revitalised the home, bringing back a 60s look and vibe to the interiors. Photo / Supplied
Daniel told OneRoof that they had been looking for something architecturally different and near friends and family.
“We’ve always loved design and architecture, and we were always going to buy a house that wasn’t ordinary. We wanted to buy something with a lot of pizzazz, and this one really did have that,” he said.
“When we first walked into the lounge and saw the chimney, and then the view, we turned to each other and we just knew we had to live in this house.”
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The house was designed by noted US architect Rudolph Matern. The original owners had picked his concept from a catalogue and commissioned local engineer Ian Douglas Stewart to adapt it to the elevated Wellington section they owned.
The plans featured a modern structure with a circular living footprint and dynamic cone-shaped roof, centered around a large fireplace.
The house was completed in 1968 and was later sold in 1985 to another couple who lived there for 30 years. The Pickerings bought it from them in 2017 for $629,000.
The vendors told OneRoof: "We felt like we were in a Bond villain lair and dressed it accordingly.” Photo / Supplied
The vendors say the house looks like the Starship Enterprise from above. Photo / Supplied
Daniel said it was an amazing house – private, secure and surrounded by Belmont Regional Park. “As the first spring came around, we realised that having a house at tree-top height meant a lot of very close encounters with native birds.”
The upstairs area in the home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, while the separate one-bedroom self-contained unit downstairs had been used by family, friends, and more recently a boarder.
“It’s beautiful, it’s so cleverly laid out,” Daniel told OneRoof.
“Looking down at the floor plan, it kind of looks like the Starship Enterprise, where you have the circular bit at the front and a square bit at the back.”
The couple have put their mark on the home with various upgrades including adding heat pumps and double glazing, rewiring the home, and redecorating, while keeping the original character intact.
“It’s an architectural house from the 60s, but it’s liveable for the modern day, which we love.”
They both have a passion for interior design and enjoyed being able to change the lounge around as many times as they wanted. “We have changed it so many times. When we first moved in, we realised that we felt like we were in a Bond villain lair and dressed it accordingly.”
Daniel said selling was not an easy decision, but they were moving to Kāpiti Coast to be closer to the beach and family.
The four-bedroom property, which sits on a 1071sqm site, has an RV of just under $1m and is listed with Tall Poppy agent Sheree Purnell.
- 26 Gurney Road, in Kelson, Lower Hutt, is for sale
