Herne Bay: Air of detachment

A group of new concrete houses makes a design statement in an established neighbourhood.

23a and 25a West End Road, Herne Bay.

Anyone with an interest in property who lives in Auckland's Western Bays will have been watching as four sleek concrete houses have risen on a large, gently sloping site leading back from the northern side of West End Road. Only two are for sale as the developers, Graeme Atmore and Dan and Kelly McEwen, have retained two for their own use.

Designed by Colin Leuschke of Leuschke Group Architects and overseen by site architect Andrew Craig, they rise in gentle steps up the slope.

"Semi-attached, as much as semi-detached," is how Colin describes them. From none of the living spaces nor from the rear gardens, is one dominated by the presence of a neighbouring house.

The outlook to the east from the covered front terraces on both levels is gently urban. To the rear, landscaped gardens designed by Trudy Crerar have full-sized trees and established plantings. The house nearest West End Road has a garden large enough to include mature pohutukawa and winding pathways which disappear over the lip of the slope.

Inside, wide, polished aggregate stairs and high ceilings add to the general air of spaciousness, and on all sides, walls of glass sweep back to admit air and sunlight. An elegant Arc Linea kitchen from Matisse Interiors, complete with every mod con, is the central hub of the inter-connecting living spaces.

As Andrew explains, these living spaces were designed to move from the cool open chic of the urban front of the house, past the kitchen at the heart of the home, through a sheltered sunny courtyard, to the intimate luxury of the living room at the rear. This in turn leads out into the west-facing rear garden. The sitting room, lit on both sides by full length windows and doors, is kept simple, with a wall of stacked, honed concrete block as the dominant design element.

Graeme sees his house as, "The perfect house for the urban couple."

It may be that, but with two large bedrooms apart from the master suite in what almost amounts to a separate bedroom wing, these could be full family homes as well. The master bedroom has a huge bathroom and walk-in wardrobe along with its own east facing deck. Beside the main bedroom is another room. Graeme has his set up as his office but it is fully wired to allow it to be a home cinema if preferred, and its close proximity to the bedroom would lend it to being a nursery. Underfloor heating on the ground floor and in the bathrooms, an open gas fire, combined with cross ventilation on all levels, allows the houses to stay cool in summer and warm in winter.

Vital Statistics

BEDROMS: 3

BATHROOMS: 3

GARAGE: 2

SIZE: Land 460 sq m (approx) each, houses 303sq m each.

PRICE INDICATION: Offers around $2 million. Set sale closes March 9 (unless sold prior).

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 12-1pm.

CONTACT: Steven Glucina, LJ Hooker Ponsonby, 361 7701 bus, ph 021 888 455, or Lyn Lockwood, Hallmark Realty, ph 921 5859 bus, 027 271 5859.

FEATURES: Two large, modern concrete homes each with master suite, gas fire, underfloor heating and courtyard.