- A Northland home designed by Sir Ian Athfield as a wedding gift is for sale.
- The Whangārei property features Athfield’s signature style with multiple levels and unique features.
- Agent Val Rouse says it suits buyers who appreciate quirky homes and are ready for renovation.
A quirky Northland home designed by legendary architect Sir Ian Athfield as a wedding present for one of his best friends is on the hunt for a new owner to bring the run-down property back to life.
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The Whangārei “art piece” has changed hands several times since Athfield designed the “out-of-the-box” property.
The groom, who chose the late architect as his best man, sold the property at 93 Hospital Road, in Horahora, some years ago. Since then, it’s been home to a dentist, anaesthetist and lawyer, with the most recent owner telling the New Zealand Herald in 2014 that she wasn’t sure what to make of it when she first saw the photos.
“I thought, ‘What the hell is that?’.”
The wood kitchen is a relatively timeless feature in the 1970s home. Photo / Supplied
The multifunctional rooms can be used as either bedrooms or living areas. Photo / Supplied
The home had Athfield’s signature style of multiple levels, portal windows, pitched rooflines, solid plaster, slate and timber flooring. The owner told the Herald she was taken aback by the large spaces and unique features.
Athfield was known for saying you should get a surprise every time you turn a corner, and that’s exactly what the owner got. “You could almost get lost ... there are so many rooms on different levels,” she told the Herald.
“It grows like topsy, every single room – it’s neither bedroom nor lounge, it can be basically whatever you want it to be.”
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She lived at the one-of-a-kind house until her death last year. The deceased estate is now being sold “as is, where is” and, according to the listing, must be sold.
Property Brokers agent Val Rouse said the ideal buyer would be someone who was a fan of quirky homes and hard work. “It’s whoever wants a funky house that needs a bit of work. It’s got a truckload of potential if you like quirky,” she told OneRoof.
“It’s got some great characteristics. Every time I go in it, I see something different.
“The rooms are multi-functional, so it’s whatever you want or however you want to live. That’s the beauty about the house.”
Architect Sir Ian Athfield, who died in 2015, was known for innovative style and quirky homes. Photo / Supplied
She thought it would likely appeal to someone who wanted to do it up to live in themselves rather than being a quick flip.
The private Horahora location was another plus, she said.
The Hospital Road property is the only Athfield masterpiece in Whangārei, but there are many others scattered around the country.
There are currently five Athfield homes listed for sale on OneRoof, ranging from a five-bedroom, four-bathroom property at 24 Channel View Road, in Campbells Bay, North Shore, Auckland, with an asking price of $4.295m, to a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home at 58 Read Street, in Levin, which is inviting enquiries over $799,000.
- 93 Hospital Road, in Horahora, Whangārei, is for sale by negotiation
