- Drummer Grant Tromp is selling his unique Tutukākā home to run faith-based music festivals.
- The property, designed with an asymmetric roof, offers stunning views of Ngunguru Bay and Bream Head.
- Tromp and his wife, Brigitte Legendre, are relocating to the South Island for their new ventures.
A music-industry figure who roller-skates on the roof of his Northland house has listed the unique property for sale.
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Drummer Grant Tromp, who heads indie label Universal Records and worked with Crowded House on their Together Alone album, is selling the dream home he built with his wife, French skating queen Brigitte Legendre, to run faith-based music festivals in the South Island.
Tromp and Legendre’s house at 140 Lawson Drive in Tutukākā sits atop the summit overlooking Whau Point and boasts views of Ngunguru Bay and Bream Head.
The couple moved north from Whangaparāoa, on the outskirts of Auckland, after Legendre decided it was time to get the most out of New Zealand’s coastline.
“My wife is quite a well-known professional skater in the south of France,” Tromp told OneRoof. “She said to me, ‘We have the most beautiful coastline in the world, but a lot of you live in cities. Why don’t we go and have a look for a seaside property, see if we can get a view?’ and we did that.
Grant Tromp, left, and Ray White listing agent Murray Coop enjoy the views from 140 Lawson Drive. Photo / Supplied
Tromp and his wife, Brigitte Legendre, have worked in the music industry for years. Their lounge also functions as a performance and rehearsal space. Photo / Supplied
“We had a beautiful property at the time in Arkles Bay. It was a recording studio, and it was the head office for Universal Records, which I’ve owned since 1994.
“Our son was only just born. We hopped in a car, and we would travel north. We did that for about a month, and finally we came to Tutukākā. We realised that we wanted a city around us because we were music industry people – we had a band at the time.”
The couple knew 140 Lawson Drive was “the one” when they first visited the site with a real estate agent. “We went, ‘Isn’t this a lookout? Isn’t this a DOC site?’
“We stood there, and we just could not say ‘no’ to it. It was like The Matrix. If you swallow this pill, then your life goes this way. If you swallow that pill, your life goes that way. On an emotional level, it was a big decision to make. But it’s been worth it.”
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The couple managed the design and build themselves. The exterior is Canadian cedar, and the interior is New Zealand heart rimu - a nod to the 1970s and 1980s.
The roof, however, is the standout feature. “The roof is 240 square metres. It’s 8.8 tonnes. The roof design had to offset any storms from any direction, from land or ocean. So, we designed an asymmetric roof similar to an aeroplane wing that is sharp at the front and then tails off at the back. That is to break the wind so that you don’t have howling noises all of the time.
“You can read the weather [here]. You can read the swells. You can read the surf report from here. We had a little radio station here for a while where we used to read the surf reports,” Tromp said. “We were up here for Cyclone Gabrielle, and it was just stunning. It was amazing to see the weather coming from a long, long way out.”
He added: “We’ve roller-skated on the roof. We take the couches up there and a glass of wine and watch the sunset go down. We’ve slept up there. We’ve shot band videos there.”
Tromp said the Grand Designs television team followed the build, but the episode never aired because they were not available when the roof was installed. “Grand Designs filmed it. But because the roof was already on before they could get back here [to film], it never aired. For Grand Designs, you have to have the entire build project so people can see it.”
The rimu interior of the home is a nod to the 1970s and 80s. Photo / Supplied
Legendre, left, with her guitar. She is famous in France for her skating skills. Photo / Supplied
Tromp and Legendre’s band, Rocks n Flowers, perform on the roof of 140 Lawson Drive. Photo / Supplied
The views made the home special, Tromp said. “We designed the house so that you get a view from everywhere in the house. We have ocean views right out to the Pacific Ocean. There’s nothing between this house and South America. Chile is in front of us.”
Tromp and Legendre have played in bands over the years. He has promoted a number of festivals, including Tutukākā’s People in the Park festival and others. He has also worked with high‑profile bands, but said it’s not the done thing to name-drop. He did, however, tell OneRoof that he had built a studio for Crowded House.
“Crowded House is not under the Universal Records label, though, because they have their own label. But I built the studio for Crowded House out at Karekare Beach for the Together Alone album.”
The family is selling up to run faith-based music festivals in the South Island. “We are music people, we’re trying to get away from all of the drugs and what’s happening at festivals these days, which is really not nice. So we’re cleaning it all up for people and having more meaning about gathering together not to take drugs and trip out.”
Legendre’s company, Roller Disco New Zealand, will also relocate to the South Island. “We travel New Zealand with all of the gear, the roller skates, the sound system and go to every provincial hall in New Zealand and set up roller discos for children and parents,” Tromp said.
The property at 140 Lawson Drive, in Tutukākā, has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a three-car garage and an RV of $1.25m.
Ray White listing agent Murray Coop, who is pictured with Tromp in one of the marketing photos for the property, said the house was “designed to a spectacular level. The asymmetric roofline uses steel beam construction, requiring no internal wall support. It is fully aerodynamic, great for roof parties, and it just looks cool.”
“This home is built like a warship with the sleek lines of a classy coastal retreat.”
- 140 Lawson Drive, Tutukākā, Whangārei, is for sale by negotiation
