Chapple House (1 Kitchener Road)

Architect Dr. Mike Austin was hired by Win Chapple in 1967 to design a house on Thorne Bay. The brief stated that the house was to be straightforward and not show ostentatious or obvious displays of wealth. It also had to fit in with the existing natural landscape, including the gnarled pohutukawa trees, one of which encroached on potential house space, and the lava rock that made up the shoreline. Using rocks collected by the family, stonemason Sven Hansen built walls 20ft from the house to separate it from the sea. Neighbours commented that on stormy days it appeared as if the house were floating as the sea washed over the rocks.

The multi-layered building which steps down the slope to the beach is the result of a combined effort by professionals, family, and helpers. It resembles a collection of army huts with weathered exterior walls and an aluminium roof. The house was built at a time when architects were experimenting with New Zealand identity. It represents a progression from the simple styles of The Gables and The Stables to a New Zealand architecture that is more complex in its response to our environment.

Turn around and continue walking along the seawall.