GRAFTON BUNGALOW Heritage Renovation & Full Restoration

This one was close. A grossly neglected character bungalow in Grafton, not far from the point where neglect becomes irreversible - where the calculus shifts from renovation to demolition and another piece of Auckland's architectural heritage is quietly lost.

Our client, an Auckland property developer with a sharp eye for potential and a track record of rescuing exactly these kinds of homes, saw something worth saving. Having worked together on similar projects in Grey Lynn, they enlisted Macfie Architecture to design the overhaul.

The internal configuration was redesigned from scratch - three generous bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a light-filled open-plan kitchen, living, and dining space that opens to the courtyard beyond. The kitchen was expanded to include a larder and scullery, and each bathroom was finished with character tile and heritage detailing that speaks the bungalow's own language.

Outside, stripped heritage details were carefully restored and the landscaping reimagined - the exterior returned to the presence it once had, and had long since lost.

There is a particular satisfaction in this kind of work. Auckland has too many character homes teetering on the edge of demolition through neglect alone - homes that, with the right vision and the right hands, can be brought back to life and enjoyed for decades to come. This bungalow is one of them.

Project Scope - concept design, developed design, resource consent, building consent, on-site monitoring.