Many who look back at the New Zealand lifestyle from 1940-70, characterise it as a period that was culturally bleak, with little talk of the art or architecture of those decades. But here's a book that proves New Zealanders weren't as caught up in those "Dark Ages" as you might imagine. Home New Zealand magazine editor Jeremy Hansen, who also edited Modern: New Zealand Homes from the 1940s to 1970s, says the 24 houses featured are evidence that there were pockets of sophistication throughout the country. "People travelled extensively, they picked up new and exciting ideas, and were brave enough to have an adventure in design."
These homes were testaments to open-mindedness and a revolutionary way of living. They were not the sole reserve of the wealthy, either. "Potters, artists and teachers, in fact, those with quite modest salaries, were able to commission an architect," says Hansen.
Many of the examples in the book are humble in scale, causing us to ask how much space we actually need to live well. They also showcase a gamut of architectural ideas that, these days, we take for granted.
Correct orientation
Previously, houses faced the street. Modernism marked a great increase in the awareness of the benefits of a home that faced the sun. One example in the book is the McKenzie house, designed in 1958 in Wellington, by Cedric Firth. "It turns its back to the driveway and towards the north, so its living areas are filled with light," says Hansen.
