Historic Villa Renovation & Addition
What we built.
A full renovation of an Auckland heritage villa, with a two-level in-situ concrete addition and a planted roof garden. The new structure sits behind and below the original villa, working with a sloping site and tight neighbouring boundaries.
The concrete was poured into timber formwork on site. Heritage elements of the original villa were retained and restored, then integrated with the new build through millwork, joinery, and floor-level junctions that needed to land within millimetres. Jack McKinney's brief held the workmanship to a standard the architect himself described as closer to cabinetry than construction.
What was achieved.
A villa restored to its period detailing on the street frontage, and a contemporary two-level addition to the rear that opens onto a roof garden and the site below. The finished project has been recognised in Auckland's architectural community as one of the strongest recent examples of heritage-and-new on a single site.
What the team said.
Willie and his team seem to actually enjoy that — the standard we were going for, and they were confident they could get there. They were happy to know that we would be able to support them to get there, and they were supporting us to get the outcome for the client we all wanted. That's a really nice way to work for me — it's very much a team effort, but the quality expectation and the beauty we're all trying to chase and find in the end product is on everybody's minds.
Jack McKinney ArchitectA project that really could have been very complicated — well, it was a very complicated project. Willie's ability to communicate, and the passion, it was really there. You really felt you were being listened to. We will definitely be doing this process again.
Helen Streefland ClientTestimonial — architect
"It's almost like the whole house is a bit of cabinetry in terms of the level of finish. That's a really high bar, but Willie and his team seem to actually enjoy that - that was the standard we were going for, and they were confident they could get there."
— Jack McKinney, Architect
Testimonial — Client
"A project that really could have been very complicated — well, it was a very complicated project. Willie's ability to communicate, and the passion, it was really there. You really felt you were being listened to. We will definitely be doing this process again."
— Helen Streefland, Client
