The sense of space
WARKWORTH 10 WILSON RD
“W e bought a paddock,” says Gail Morrison of the site of her Malcolm Walkerdesigned home with its commanding views across green valleys and out to the Mahurangi Peninsula.
She and husband Ian had only been half-looking at houses when they found their perfect location.
A real estate agent drove them around several places but Gail kept saying no, then just as it was getting dark he took them to this site.
“I looked down and saw an undulating contour down to a big oak and it reminded me of farmland we’d just sold in Hawkes Bay that I was missing, so that was it.” Building here was a bit like coming home, she says. Another big attraction was the QEII bush on both boundaries so you can’t get built out.
The site is private yet close to town and to the state highway: “Two minutes and you’re rolling down the road to Auckland.”
The home’s concrete construction was partly inspired by the historic cement works at the end of Wilson Rd where Malcolm spent time as an architectural student, says Gail.
And when she and Ian lived in the United States, Gail liked the buildings of architect John Lautner so she showed Malcolm some pictures of his houses.
The final result delighted the couple: “I’d call it an honest house,” says Gail. “It’s what you see is what you get.”
Some of Walker’s trademarks include the bagged concrete block, negative detailing and also the careful choice of which part of the view to select for the picture windows, including the long view to the sea and short views which frame a particular scene.
The house captures all day sun and has matai floors, high studs and an Alaskan cedar ceiling in the lounge.
There is an entrance walkway with concrete columns next to a long goldfish pond which is a bit like a lap pool for the fish.
Downstairs are the open plan lounge, dining and kitchen with decking outside, and the master bedroom on the ground floor captures the long view to the sea and has a “jetty” deck.
Gail loves the room for its tranquillity and also for the ability to have plenty of art on the walls.
“A lot of houses don’t have many walls these days,” she says.