- A Coromandel home designed by architect Ron Sang is for sale for the first time.
- Peter Tracey commissioned Sang in 1986 to design the beach house overlooking the Pauanui Estuary.
- The house, valued at $2.43m, features distinctive glass windows and a high-sloping roof.
A striking Coromandel home designed by star architect the late Ron Sang has hit the market for sale for the first time.
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Morrinsville father-of-four Peter Tracey hand-picked Sang in 1986 to design his beach house overlooking the Pauanui Estuary, at 31 Golden Hills Drive.
Son Steve told OneRoof his late father had a vision to build something different.
Peter and wife Gael were hooked on Sang after first meeting him in Auckland, and they were invited to Sang’s home to discuss their plans for the beach house.
The floor-to-ceiling reflective windows make the most of the uninterrupted estuary views. Photo / Supplied
After the first meeting, Peter was hooked on Sang and they were invited to his Kohimarama home to discuss their plans further.
“Dad was so impressed with Ron Sang and how genteel and educated and arty he was,” Steve said, adding that Sang’s own home made an impact. They loved the use of glass, its transparency and its clean lines – “they were sold almost immediately”.
Sang designed a timeless cedar home with huge floor-to-ceiling reflective glass windows and a high-sloping roof. Steve said the house was futuristic for the time but “not too way out”.
“It’s amazing how 38 years later it’s still pretty distinctive,” he said.
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“It’s got a lovely balance and harmony to its structure. It doesn’t have kooky towers and pothole windows. It’s a simple design, but eye-catching because of its symmetry and balance.”
Peter died 10 years after the bach was finished, but his family has cherished it and his memory, with three generations enjoying holidays at Pauanui.
Steve said the decision to sell had been a hard one. “We’ve been very torn up about selling because a big part of dad is tied to that house. We are sort of laying him to rest again almost,” he told OneRoof.
“I reckon it exceeded dad’s vision for a beautiful elegant beach house which his children and their children would be able to use and enjoy.”
The modernist bach has been enjoyed by three generations of the Tracey family. Photo / Supplied
Steve said he had been a keen follower of Sang’s work and he was unaware of any other Sang-designed baches in the region.
Harcourts Pauanui business owner Alyce Rowe said the home, which has a CV of $2.43 million, had attracted considerable attention over the years. “It is a timeless and elegant piece of international modernism on Pauanui’s estuary front,” she said.
Rowe noted that the position of the house gave it 180-degree views which gave the impression that there were no other homes around.
While Pauanui’s beachfront was still viewed as the town’s premium location, the estuary location was slightly more affordable and popular with young families, Rowe said.
- 31 Golden Hills Drive, Pauanui, Thames-Coromandel, goes to auction on March 23
