A renowned Auckland photographer has listed his reinvention of a mid-century design classic.
Chris Corson-Scott, son of the late artist Ian Scott, is selling the two-bedroom apartment at 4/24A Landscape Road, in Mount Eden, for just under $1 million.
The apartment, which occupies the top floor of a block of four units, was originally designed by modernist architect Franz Iseke in the mid-1960s, and was cutting-edge for its time.
However, when Corson-Scott bought it in 2019 for $805,000, it needed a refresh and a rethink.
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“It was full of interesting aesthetic and practical ideas,” Corson-Scott told OneRoof. “It was in a different league to most of the other units I had been looking at. It was designed around a light-filled north orientation, but the views to the south and west were also something else.”
The artist employed Pac Studio and Fieldcraft to rework the property - a job that included moving the kitchen, creating a distinct living room, and relocating the bedrooms to the south side. The new layout takes advantage of the views of Manukau and Waitemata harbours and Te Tātua-a-Riukiuta Big King Reserve.
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“One drawback of mid-century architecture can be the narrow living areas, which can feel disconnected from the kitchen and dining spaces,” Corson-Scott said. “So, my first move was to change the internal layout, so the kitchen and lounge made the most of the north orientation.
“I also spent a lot of time restoring the unit’s original macrocarpa beams, which had been gibbed over, and adding new timber sarking between them. The best thing, though, is the hybrid of modern design from Pac Studio architects, led by Sarosh Mulla, and Fieldcraft, which did the kitchen and joinery, with the original home’s design language.”
The modernist apartment, originally built in 1966 by architect Franz Iseke, has been reinvented by Pac Studio. Photo / Supplied
The handcrafted Moroccan Zellige tiles in the bathroom were sourced from New York. Photo / Supplied
The home has been fully insulated and modern double glazing means it is never too hot or too cold. “You rarely need to use heat pumps in either season,” Corson-Scott said.
Listing agent Robyn Ellson, of Ray White, said the apartment’s original owners had lived in the house next door and had asked Iseke to design four inexpensive units, which they could then rent out.
The apartment is stylish and bright, and makes most of the sunlight. Photo / Supplied
The property has an asking price of $980,000. Photo / Supplied
“In many ways, they are better than what passes for medium-density apartments some 60 years later,” Ellson said, adding that Corson-Scott’s reinvention had taken it to a new level.
“He had a vision for this property. He enlisted Pac Studio, who are incredible architects, to reinvent this apartment for today.”
She added: “It’s actually a miracle that this apartment’s even for sale. But he has become quite captivated with a section in the Waitākere [Ranges] and wants the big Pac Studio house as the next thing for him.”
Corson-Scott told OneRoof: “I’ve found a block of bush in the Waitakere [Ranges] I’d like to restore, and ultimately build a modest house on. My partner and I are both artists and we’d love to finally build our own studio too.”
- 4/24A Landscape Road, in Mount Eden, Auckland, has an asking price of $980,000
