We finished getting this built in 2019 – its right on the Lake in Takapuna. A real sweet spot looking out over Lake Pupuke.
Its effectively a new house, built around the footprint of the old house that stood on the site. The site planning was all wrong (with a driveway to a garage under the house) breaking the connection with the lake. So the garage got moved to the south side of the site and we were able to build up much stronger connections with the Lake.

Its a house that I spend a lot of time in. Designed for my brother, who looks after our parents in their old age. So the house has to accomodate a multiple generations, including his son Jacob who is now in University.

We grew up in Nigeria in a large extended family, and its a habit that we have not lost in here in Aotearoa, New Zealand. We have fantastic gatherings that spill out on to the deck. The house has confirmed my sense that architecture is really about creating spaces that enrich our lives – spaces that grow even richer with the patina of memories.

Houses in Auckland are not cheap, especially ones on the Lake in Takapuna, but I really believe that you can create rich spaces that enrich your life wherever you set down roots here in NZ. Thats the job of architecture – to enrich your life and family through space, light and form and make the best of the site you have chosen (or more often – the site that has chosen you!).