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Arts patrons Erika and Robin Congreve have sold their North Shore "bunker" house to a new Australian banking boss and his partner for $6.7 million.
Westpac NZ chief executive Brad Cooper, who has been in the job for just a month, and his partner, Joanne Walker, have bought the Congreves' Belmont house.
Mr Cooper has taken over from Ann Sherry, who has moved to the much smaller Pacific banking division.
Nicknamed the "bunker" for its tough appearance, sturdy square style and dark grey exterior walls, the clifftop house has drawn much praise and comment since it was finished in 1994. Two thousand tonnes of concrete, wood and stainless steel were used in its construction.
Also in the sale were some of the Congreves' artworks, including a large neon dish light sculpture and a kinetic wind wand.
But Tom Kane, the Premium Real Estate agent who sold the house, said the Congreves would be taking a large rock sculpture which dominated the seaward lawn.
"It might take more than a van to move that," Mr Kane said.
The house is perched on a clifftop site alongside a reserve off Winscombe St above St Leonards Beach. It faces Rangitoto Island but views are opened up only in gradual glimpses through long vertical windows.
As one of the country's most praised houses, it has won many awards for architect Pip Cheshire, formerly of Jasmax.
In 2001, the two-level house topped the National Business Review list of the 100 best New Zealand homes and has featured in numerous publications.
Agents were initially asking $10 million and have been seeking buyers since 2003, but Mr Kane said price was never the issue.
"It was a very hard property to put a price on. It's very buyer-specific."
Joanne Walker had been immediately drawn to the house, he said.
"She just fell in love with it. She appreciates art and is very creative so she understood the house. Brad would be quite happy in a more modest home or apartment."
The couple will shift into the house at the end of next month, Mr Kane said.
They spend a lot of their time in London.
Harcourts and Barfoot & Thompson said top-priced places were still selling fast and prices were holding firm.
