Heritage Renovation

Not all damage is structural. Sometimes the most harmful changes to a heritage home are the ones made with the best intentions - alterations that strip away original detailing in the name of modernisation, leaving a villa that has lost the very qualities that made it worth owning. This 1910 Remuera villa had suffered exactly that fate.  Macfie Architecture's brief, developed in close collaboration with Colab Industry Interior Design, was to undo the damage thoughtfully and rebuild what had been lost - while introducing the functionality a modern family actually needs. The restoration is meticulous in its attention to the original fabric. Existing elements were repaired rather than replaced wherever possible, and new finishes were chosen in careful dialogue with what remained - the result feeling less like a renovation and more like a correction. A home returned to its best self. A new open-plan living and dining extension completes the picture, drawing the old and new into a coherent whole and opening the villa to the garden beyond. The layout now supports modern family life without apology, the contemporary addition earning its place alongside the restored heritage rooms rather than competing with them. Completed in 2024. A study in what thoughtful, unhurried design can achieve. Project Scope - concept design, developed design, resource consent, building consent, and on-site monitoring.