Kingsland: Historic beginings

Occupying the site where Glengyle Knitwear began trading in Kingsland, this contemporary apartment complex draws inspiration from its historical roots. By CHARLOTTE COSSAR.

Creatively stealing elements from Kingsland's past architectural makeup, this new complex will offer clean-lined, contemporary design and dynamic city living.

The Kingsland is a residential development consisting of 83 freehold two- and three-bedroom apartments offering residents enviable living in one of Auckland's best-kept secret locations.

Designed by David Frost of Parlante, the buildings are sleek and functional, featuring simple and modish detailing on a traditional stone-clad base. A series of buildings on a parking podium, Kingsland has open spaces, a landscaped plaza, open-air bridges or breezeways and, from many of the homes, views of the city or plaza.

Says Frost: "Rather than designing one large block of apartments that could appear monolithic and over-scaled for the area, the New North Rd frontage has been broken into three smaller blocks. This allows for view shafts, light and air movement and a reduction in overall scale."

Offering a choice of three apartment designs, 179 car parks, a plaza, central pedestrian entry and landscaped common areas with a pool, gym and specimen planting, this complex, which is a stone's throw from the city, is set to turn heads - visually.

Says Frost: "The building base is to be clad in cut natural stone. The depth of colour of this material provides a solid base to the lighter-coloured structure of the three levels above, and this makes for a visually anchored building."

Other materials used in the limited palette include aluminium cladding and window joinery along with reinforced concrete.

Says Frost: "The apartments are clad in a metal panel system. The metal panels give a crisp contemporary edge, which flows through all the detailing. The balconies are glass and there are exposed metal structural beams."

He says they have treated the commercial part of the building in a different manner, to indicate the different uses within the building. "The lower commercial floor is clad in stone at street level, which the apartments float on top of."

The six buildings are all treated as their own structure, while detailing, materials and colour unite the complex as a whole. This has allowed for open spaces between the buildings, stylised open-air breezeways looking over the plaza beneath and privacy between the apartments.

The plazas are landscaped with water, plants and stone that allude to contemplative Japanese gardens, reinterpreted in a contemporary manner, says Frost.

"The inclusion of a common area pool and water feature combined with clean-lined hard landscaping and large scale planting specimens will provide for an attractive and very useable facility given its northerly aspect."

LAYOUTS

There are three apartment layout options - type A has three bedrooms, type B has two bedrooms and a study and type C has two bedrooms. All the homes have open-plan living, dining and kitchen areas, a minimum of two external walls, access to the balcony from the living as well as the main bedroom, an en suite and walk-in wardrobe off the main bedroom and a terrace or courtyard.

Frost says plans vary allowing residents to choose how they want to live. All apartments are laid out so that the main bedroom, living area and balcony face the view and/or sun, and the secondary spaces face the plazas.

"The three alternative apartment layouts maximise the allocated space and in doing so provide an impression of being larger than reality."

INTERIORS

The interiors mix artist flair with attention to detail drawing on the talents of Sally Ridge and Anita Simpson of 24 Simpson Ridge.

The kitchens are a mix of brushed stainless steel, Fisher & Paykel appliances, Meltica kitchen cabinetry, funky glass mosaics and traditional timber. Continuing this theme in the bathrooms, luxurious basins, chrome heated rails and fittings, black and white ceramic tiles and a glass panel shower ooze comfortable living. The open-plan living areas are flush with cut-pile wool carpet and chic colours.

With a choice of two colour schemes - both fresh and revitalising with bold and simple hues - stylised living is what Kingsland is all about.

Vital Statistics

ADDRESS: 435 New North Rd, Kingsland.

FEATURES: 83 freehold two- and three-bedroom apartments all with courtyards or balconies; upper level apartments have views to the Waitakere Ranges, the city or across the central plaza; a heated pool; gym; landscaped common area; all apartments have a car park with the majority having two; digital Sky TV dish; two interior colour schemes; cut-pile wool carpet to all areas, except bathrooms and kitchens; Meltica cabinetry; stainless steel benchtops; Fisher & Paykel electric oven and gas cooktop with stainless steel finish; Fisher & Paykel dishwasher; Smeg extractor; chrome heated towel rail; ceramic tiles; Flaminia basins; ceramic tiles on balconies; framed safety glazed balusters.

SIZE: From 66.5sq m to 92sq m, including decks.

PRICE: From $285,000 to $405,000.

AGENTS: Antony Arnerich and Peter Broughton, Extreme Realty. Ph 307 1700 bus; Antony 021 833 447 mob; Peter 021 933 967 mob.