One of Auckland’s architectural gems, designed by legendary Kiwi architect Claude Megson, is trying its luck again on the open market.
Popularly known as the Barr House, the three-bedroom property at 7 Keretene Place, in Meadowbank, has only had two sets of owners since it was built in 1970s.
Listing agent Ryan Teece, of Whitefox Real Estate, is taking the multi-million-dollar house to auction on April 13, with the aim of finding a buyer who is as emotionally invested in it as the current owners.
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The property was bought by architecture fans Hayley and Mike in 2016 for just under $2 million from the original owners, Pat and John Barr.
They have spent their years upgrading and restoring the home to its former glory but now feel it’s time to hand it over to a new enthusiast.
The couple had listed the house last year with another agency but switched tactics after coming to terms with moving on from their passion project.
Teece, who is married to Hits radio host and former TVNZ Breakfast star Matty McLean, told OneRoof: “I think this time they’ve really set their sights on their next stage of their life, which is to leave Auckland. I think emotionally they’re really ready to go, which is why we’re auctioning it.”
The house retains the original flavour of Claude Megson's design. Photo / Supplied
The current owners bought the post-modern house in 2016 for just under $2m. It now has a CV of $3.45m. Photo / Supplied
Teece said it was an emotional house - for both buyers and sellers. “I think it’s the kind of home that you need to spend a bit of time in to really appreciate why it was designed the way it was. The use of light, space and elevation to create different spaces is really quite special.”
The property, which has a 2021 CV of $3.45m, is a standout home created by one of New Zealand’s most mercurial architects.
In an interview with the New Zealand Herald in 2016, the original owners, then in their 90s, said they engaged Megson to build them a home after buying a plot of land in Meadowbank for £5600.
The Barrs said they were the ideal customers, leaving Megson to get on with the work. Their only specification was no timber or brick, which Megson duly ignored: the entire interior is lined with wide Western red cedar boards, the ceilings battened with fine mate and the exterior is a mixture of cedar and brick.
Although much of the fittings and appliances are new, the interiors are very much 1970s in look and feel. Photo / Supplied
The yellow lacquer accents and purple doors are original Megson colours, as are the murals on the louvres that separate the entrance from the living room. Megson also picked out their furniture and designed every cupboard, closet and dresser. The Barrs said they even needed Megson’s approval to update the dining room curtains.
The new owners told OneRoof last year that the 40-year-old house needed work to bring it up to modern standards. They painstakingly lifted and re-laid original tiles and repainted the cupboard doors in the original bright colours. There are new appliances in the kitchen, new central heating and hot water, and the basement floor rumpus room was lined and carpeted to make a bedroom.
Teece (right) with husband Matty McLean. Photo / Supplied
Outside, the couple replaced the deck, added outbuildings and landscaping and re-laid the courtyard brickwork. New paintwork returned the exterior louvres to their original bright yellow and doors throughout the house have been revived.
“All the renovations have been done to refresh and replace rather than modernise,” Hayley told OneRoof last year. “Nothing has been done to the house to undermine the original architecture.”
Teece said architecture fans would have a deep appreciation for the work and ingenuity of Megson's creation but even those who didn’t know who Megson was would be impressed. “I don’t think you need to be an architect fan to see the beauty in the home.”
Teece said the family haven’t done a lot to the property in terms of renovation as they wanted to keep its originality but have done a lot of restoring, and future proofing to maintain its classic Megson style look.
He said the auction would be slightly different to what most Kiwis are used to. “Whitefox auctions are a little bit different. We do them on-site. We’ll have a coffee cart. Our CEO, Marty Fox, flies over from Australia to call it for us. I’m expecting there to be decent numbers there, people that are fans of the house, fans of Claude Megson. We’ll have genuine buyers there that are hoping to own the home as well.”
- 7 Keretene Place, in Meadowbank, Auckland, goes to auction on April 13
