An architectural homage to Pasifika culture and history has been placed on the market for sale.
The seven bedroom home at 442-454 Scenic Drive, is nestled on the edge of Auckland's lush Waitakere Ranges, and goes to auction on December 10.
At its heart is its fale design, which is as much an artistic and political statement as it is an outstanding example of culturally appropriate architecture and craftsmanship.
The 2.5ha site was the last significant piece of undeveloped privately held land on Scenic Drive when it was purchased by the current owner in 1999. Its pristine native bush is punctuated by a giant kauri that in 1953 was the largest in the area.
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Construction on the house was completed in 2019. Photo / Supplied
The property’s anchoring high-domed central fale was inspired by Fale Sinalei on the South Coast of Samoa and acknowledges Auckland as a capital of the Pacific. Sadly Fale Sinalei was destroyed in the 2009 tsunami.
The development was designed and built between 1999 and 2019. The owner worked closely with artisan craftspeople at all stages of design and construction and the resulting quality and fine detail is evident throughout.
The design was inspired by a Samoan fale. Photo / Supplied
Construction materials were chosen to endure. Roofing is slate and standing seam aluminium, external walls include watertight fibre cement cladding, with a high-pressure laminate facade system and cedar weatherboards, balustrading makes extensive use of stainless steel and the expansive decking is exclusively jarrah. The stainless steel angled barn-door entrance to the central fale auditorium reflects the bank vault that inspired it.
Inside the kitchen and dining space. Photo / Supplied
Both the buildings and the driveway, which rises 25m vertically off Scenic Drive, boast significant engineering details. Patrick Moore of Dunning-Moore designed the steel space-frame sub-structure that preserves the fale’s curves. The solid driveway engineering was completed by ACH Consulting, who acted as supervising engineers throughout the development.
Initially the roof of the fale was covered with 3000 square feet of lithographic plates supplied by the New Zealand Herald. In 2018 they were replaced by a standing seam aluminium roof using a German oven-baked ceramic-coated long run aluminum product. Its design and craftsman construction demanded the utmost attention to detail and the result is in one of the most spectacular standing seam aluminium roofs on any building in New Zealand.
Construction and landscaping of the property was completed in late 2019.
In October 2020, the fale hosted its first workshop: a three-day Mana Moana Workstream leadership training retreat programme for 30 Pacific leaders, run by Leadership New Zealand.
The property can accommodate 10 commercial overnight guests (and up to 15 by special arrangement). It is equipped with modern conferencing and teleconferencing amenities and the kitchen was recently refurbished to include commercial appliances.
Despite being purpose built as a residential workshop facility, the fale on Scenic Drive provides a rare opportunity for a family to secure a wonderfully large, welcoming and private family home in an extraordinary setting with uninterrupted views to almost everywhere.
Find out more about the listing here:
