Athf ield’s enduring ‘village’ celebrated with award
There can be few Wellingtonians who don’t know about the late architect Sir Ian Athfield’s own landmark house in Khandallah.
Athfield started work on the project in the 1960s, not only designing the house but helping to build it. And now, more than 50 years later, the house has won an NZIA Enduring Architecture award.
The award judges commented: ‘‘This was the building that, above all others, defined an exuberant era in Wellington architecture’’.
The citation said that the house was one of the great stories of New Zealand architecture.
‘‘In 2000, when the alreadysprawling house had been spreading for more than 30 years, the editor of The Architectural Review described it as ‘one of the most wonderful houses of the 20th century’.
‘‘It is impossible to separate the house from its creator.’’
The judges noted that over time, the house became a village – a site where many people live and even more work.
‘‘It is where ‘Ath’ tried things out for 50 years, attempting to reconcile the pleasures of communal life with the need for privacy, wrestling with the challenges of completion, and even reaching an eventual understanding with the local council.’’
Historical photographs plot the progress of the house, party times and even a defiant anti-nuclear protest whereby Athfield painted a slogan on the tower – The Evening Post got a shot with a frigate on Wellington Harbour in the background.
Last year, the house was given a Historic Place Category I listing.