Critics fire up over ‘ugly’ look of homes
Are these “ugly homes” and “godforsaken design” what Auckland’s leaders and planners had in mind when they promised a new era of high-quality design?
“Design will be the X factor,” trumpeted Auckland design champion Ludo Campbell-Reid at the time the Unitary Plan was being drawn up several years ago.
“Does higher density mean ugly? The feedback we’ve had is that Aucklanders don’t oppose apartments — they oppose ugly apartments. And we agree,” the Auckland Council said.
Four years on from the introduction of the Unitary Plan, these assurances are coming in for criticism over a new development on Ruawai Rd in Mt Wellington.
Where one house stood, a developer is building seven townhouses on a 809sq m section. The three-storey terraces each have three bedrooms and a single car park. But the two townhouses facing Ruawai Rd are causing a stir on social media and upsetting neighbours.
“It’s cheap, rotten housing,” said Roger Samson, whose home of 40 years is directly across the street.
His wife, Julie Samson, understood the need for intensification, but said no thought had gone into the design. The large front windows also reflected light into their sitting room, she said.
“It sucks,” said one neighbour, saying the new builds looked into their kitchen and bedrooms and had meant buying new blinds for privacy.
Images of the townhouses facing Ruawai Rd caused outrage on two Facebook pages. People compared them to shipping containers, piled one on top of another.
“Cripes, what sort of godforsaken design is that?” said one.
“What ugly homes,” “God these are awful,” said others. A few people welcomed the homes to put more roofs over people’s heads.
Russell Cannons, a director of Construkt Architects which does multi-unit, infill and social housing, said density and intensification was a good thing. As the city intensified in existing suburbs, he said, it was important the developments displayed good architecture and context within the grain, scale and texture of the surrounding area.
Cannons said the Ruawai development might not have achieved some of these goals, including understanding the architectural language of the area. The design of the front facade might have been better, but he advised not passing final judgment until the work was completed and the landscaping done.
One of the developers, who did not want to be named, said the terrace houses were of a highquality design. She said people needed to get used to the Unitary Plan of more intense and smaller houses, saying the new generation could not afford big houses.
The developer’s planning application to Auckland Council said the houses ensured a good level of attractiveness and created visual interest along the road front.
In the decision to grant resource consent, the council said the variation in cladding and landscaping along the street frontage was intended to mitigate the visual dominance of the front houses by creating visual interest and breaking up the bulk of the development. The property is zoned for terraced housing and apartment buildings.
The council’s general manager of resource consents, Ian Smallburn, said key aspects, such as landscaping, had not started.
Auckland mayor Phil Goff declined to comment on the design. He said the council did not have the power, nor set rules, around the attractiveness of homes, but large residential and commercial developments met the standards of good design.
Cripes, what sort of godforsaken design is that? Facebook user