Record price for Aro Valley landmark
A house that became a controversial architectural landmark amid the traditional villas of Aro Valley has been sold for a record price in the Wellington suburb.
The three-storey, 220 square-metre house, designed by architect John Mills, sold for $1,510,000. And it’s the property’s point of difference that appeals to the new owners, who prefer to remain anonymous.
One of the owners said he and his wife bought it precisely because it was ‘‘not like everything else’’.
‘‘It’s unique and it doesn’t need major renovations like all the others in the street.’’
The new owner said Aro Valley might not get the ‘‘best rap’’, having a lot of student accommodation, but it was close to everything.
Former owners Kate JasonSmith and Francesca Brice listed their much-loved house in November, with Paul Doney and Sabine Chong, of Tall Poppy Real Estate.
Doney said there was ‘‘an immense amount of interest in the property’’ but it was clear that the house would go to an architecture aficionado. ‘‘It was a matter of finding the right people who realised how unique this place is.’’
Doney said the sale price of $1,510,000 has set a record for the suburb, with the two previous best prices for a home in the area being $1.32m and $1.31m.
When the house was listed, co-owner JasonSmith admitted that placing such a bold, contemporary building amid a street of old villas had generated a lot of debate 14 years ago.
‘‘There was a lot of discussion on an architecture website, and one person likened it to a work ‘by Mondrian after a few too many martinis’.
‘‘It could be a box but, of course, it’s not,’’ she said. ‘‘There are so many different angles, and that’s the brilliance of the architecture.
‘‘One of my favourite things is the positioning of the windows, which are all different. Every window frames a different, special outlook, just like a painting. And even though it’s right on the road, it’s incredibly private.’’