The Maori word ‘Arapito’ means ‘end of the path’ in English, and it is appropriate on many levels for the story of this property in Titirangi.
The site was bought in 1995 by present owners Earl and Gael Thompson, and Gael recalls that when she first saw it she agreed it was “the end of nowhere”.
Nestled into an inspiring waterfront headland and overlooking the Manukau Harbour, the land at 34 Arapito Road in Titirangi demanded a unique home, and Earl and Gael had a plan.
They wanted to establish a cutting edge guest house/retreat, and commissioned architect Andre Hodgskin to create a masterpiece building to suit that purpose.
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Architect Andre Hodgskin was commissioned to create a masterpiece cutting edge guesthouse/retreat. Photo / Supplied
“When we briefed the architect it was mainly Earl who worked with Andre,” Gael says.
“The house is actually two units one on top of the other, very state-of-the-art. It looks over to the harbour and Little Muddy Creek.”
The upper level contains two spacious bedrooms with walk-in wardrobes and ensuites, a laundry, and the entranceway and main living area.
The living space opens to a covered deck floored and clad in marble tiles on one side, and a deck enclosed by a frameless glass balustrade on the other.
The top and bottom levels of the house are completely self-contained with no internal access to one another. Photo / Supplied
The space downstairs opens to a large paved patio with a sunken deck and fire pit. Photo / Supplied
Downstairs there are two more bedrooms with ensuites, and kitchen facilities, and the space opens to a large paved patio with a sunken deck and fire pit.
The top and bottom levels of the house are completely self-contained with no internal access to one another.
Although everything about the existing building was designed and built specifically for the owners, such as high-end technology and materials, the concept lends itself to a number of options, including the perfect Covid work-from-home opportunity.
Gael says this is a lovely place to come home to, and the superbly landscaped garden adds an extra dimension to the lifestyle.
One of the homeowners says 34 Arapito Road is a lovely place to come home to. Photo / Supplied
The view from upstairs is simply spectacular. Photo / Supplied
Self-described non-gardeners, the couple turned the garden over to landscaper Steve Dodds to convert it into a dream bush retreat.
“We fought constantly over what to plant,” Gael recalls with a laugh. “I wanted an English garden and he wanted a Indonesian tropical resort feel. He won. Over 100 native trees were planted.”
However, some 80-year-old rhododendrons were retained, as well as boat orchids (Cymbidium), narrow leaf ginger (Hedychium angustifolium), and the fiery red and orange-flowered Clivia miniate to add colour to the bush.
The garden at the property was landscaped into a dream bush retreat and is home to many birds. Photo / Supplied
To entice walkers to the sea-viewing spots, Dodds built boardwalks through the palm and tree-fern forest.
The garden has brought many birds to the property and it’s one of the aspects of living here that Gael will miss the most. “I have loved listening to the birds.”
She says they will leave the property behind with broken hearts, but with a separate primary building platform and consented plans designed by Andre Hodgskin, there is potential yet to be reached.
34 Arapito Road in Titirangi, Auckland is for sale by negotiation. The property is being marketed by Ray White’s Ross Hawkins and Lisa Anderson.
