Eye-catching home goes on the market
This is a house that commands attention – 14 years after it was built, people are still stopping in the street to take photos.
The Aro Valley, Wellington, landmark in Epuni St, designed by local architect John Mills, is about to come onto the market for the first time, and it’s fair to say the attention will ramp up even more over the next few weeks.
Owners Kate JasonSmith and Francesca Brice have listed their much-loved house with Tall Poppy Real Estate, who say it will be advertised on Monday.
While the house is seen as one of the architect’s signature works, credit can also go to JasonSmith and Brice who commissioned the project.
‘‘My father was an architect,’’ says JasonSmith. ‘‘So I was brought up with architecture talk, and we would often talk about how clients get in the way of good architecture. So when we commissioned this house I said, ‘Do what you like, John’. I knew it would be the best way to get the best out of him.
JasonSmith admits placing such a bold, contemporary building amid a street of old villas 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’.’’
The house is next to residential properties, but has a commercial zoning, which explains how they were able to build to a large footprint and maximum height. The threestore, 220 square-metre occupies most of the 107 site.
Brice says she loves to go right up to the top of the house and out onto the roof terrace.
‘‘We have a 360-degree view of Aro Valley and it’s amazing how every time I am up there I discover some little treasure in the bush that we overlook.
Both women, who run a business, Pacific Perfumes, from the house, say they will be sad to leave.
‘‘It has been wonderful to live here, an absolute joy,’’ says JasonSmith. ‘‘But it is time to move on.’’
Paul Doney, who has listed the property with Sabine Chong, says the property is being sold with a set deadline for offers of November 29. The house has a two-year-old RV of $870,000. house squaremetre