Ponsonby: Inside a living billboard

One of Auckland's newest quality apartment blocks is proof that good things take time.

Apartment 608, Perspective, 28 College Hill, Ponsonby.

Richard Barber's apartment was a long time coming, but he says it was worth the wait.

"We bought off the plans three years ago, then had to wait for it to be built," he says, three weeks after moving in. "But now we're here we love it. We call it our skyhome, because we don't share walls with anyone so it's like being in a house perched up in the sky."

At 260sq m Richard's apartment is bigger than number 608, which is now for sale. But architect Grant Harris of Ignite has made the most of number 608's 144sq m. Sliding doors internally, and out onto the balcony, can all stack to one side, allowing the space to be opened to its full width and depth.

"There's so much bad press about small apartments, I wanted to create something that had that feeling of openness," says Grant.

The 3m stud aids this further, as does the neutral palette used indoors. Even the exterior of the building has a clean, minimalist look.

"We wanted to play with white against the natural materials of glass, aluminium and stainless steel," says Grant. "It was an honest approach, keeping it simple. This is an urban setting so elements like the concrete steps, metal balusters and raw materials in the courtyard give the complex a certain robustness."

The combination of materials may appear simple, but putting them together took time. Although the site was purchased three years ago, it's taken the past two to construct the development. Grant says this was due partly to a shortage of labour and materials, and partly to the fact that Perspective is made up of 84 apartments in seven separate buildings around an inner courtyard containing a lap pool.

"It was like building 84 houses of differing sizes and design," he says. "The courtyard gives the development somewhere that's tranquil and quiet, somewhere to withdraw to, like an oasis."

From the street, the development is constantly, subtly changing. Apartment occupiers can slide banks of louvres back and forth across their balconies, and open and shut them, depending on where they want shelter and privacy.

"We saw the facade as almost a living billboard," says Grant.

Look up to Richard's apartment and you might see his cat Monet soaking up the sun against a glass wall.

"Even she loves this place," laughs Richard. "The apartments are so well designed that you use every bit of them, then in the evening you can sit on the deck and watch the lights come on, and the sunsets reflect off the buildings. Then walk up to Ponsonby Road or into town. It's great."

Vital Statistics

BEDROOMS: 2

BATHROOMS: 2

GARAGE: 2

SIZE: 144sq m.

PRICE: $790,000.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1-2pm.

CONTACT: Carla Pedersen, Bayleys, ph 021 417 139 mob, 309 6020 bus.

FEATURES: Brand new north-west facing apartment in complex that includes inner courtyard and lap pool. 3m stud, study, bath in one bathroom, underfloor heating, Smeg appliances, two banks of outdoor louvres, views across city to Rangitoto.