Pleats Please

18 Norfolk St, Ponsonby, Auckland. Photo / Fiona Goodall / Getty Images

Pleats are tricky enough to master in clothing. A concrete ceiling of pleats poured in situ 5.2-metres up gives you a taste of what an award-winning team have been up to in their latest project.

Another distinctive roofline by the same team of architect Jack McKinney and builder-developer Cameron Ireland two months ago won Home magazine's Home of the Year 2019. Now Cameron has his developer's hat on offering this cutting edge residence for sale.

He and Jack used a late 1800s villa as a starting point for a striking contemporary addition.

Cameron says: "I'd probably call this the pleated or zig-zag house because the concrete roof adds so much individuality and volume."

He and his wife, Rachael Newnham, saw potential in the villa's 556sq m site, which stretches between Norfolk and Douglas St for dual-access. There's an off-street park with Norfolk St's character, blue villa frontage, while Douglas St's two-storey modern addition has internal-access double garage.

Cameron and Jack have collaborated for more than 12 years, challenging each other's creative boundaries.

18 Norfolk St, Ponsonby, Auckland. Photo / Fiona Goodall / Getty Images

While the two ends of the home differ Jack explains: "The western elevation of the old part of the house has a pair of small gables. We used their size and shape to create the new roofline, multiplying the gables to form a zig-zag that appears to be folded out of a single strip of concrete."

Cameron's company, CI Builders, replaced most weatherboards on the northerly villa end melding character with modern. The traditional hallway now sports a sculptural Flos light and oak flooring.

Two front bedrooms include one of two alternative master suites. This one's character cast iron fireplace is flanked by an outfitted walk-in-wardrobe and a sumptuous en suite swathed in green marble and a free-standing bath.

Cameron says: "Rachael helps decide on many of the interior finishes and colours."

There's a svelte laundry room and family bathroom before the hallway steps down into the addition; its concrete exterior formwork has a weatherboard profile.

A study or fourth bedroom has pivot doors to outside and a soothing outlook over the 14m in-ground pool. Across the way a living-TV room's tall black glass interior sliders allow the option of shutting it off from the main living spread and herald the start of the zig-zag ceiling.

18 Norfolk St, Ponsonby, Auckland. Photo / Fiona Goodall / Getty Images

Jack says: "The sculptural idea is that the roof is balanced on the walls and beams below so it was important that just the edge of the roofline touches the walls."

Light pouring in towering west-facing sliding doors and glazed triangles formed under the roofline illuminates the living-dining-kitchen area with concealed scullery.

"We wanted texture everywhere" says Cameron, pointing out textural larch cabinetry and panelling and a shuttered concrete feature wall.

Long custom-made strip lights also highlight patterns formed by boxing the concrete roofline with rough-sawn timber.

Past the second living area stairs lead down to the carpeted garage or up to the contemporary master suite with electric louvres. Its elevated bedroom, walk-in-wardrobe and en suite unfold under the same pleated concrete ceiling.

Bayleys Ponsonby agent Edward Pack says of 18 Norfolk St, Ponsonby in Auckland, scheduled for auction June 12th: "Cameron's got an outstanding reputation for delivering quality, design-led properties and this one has rare dual street frontage. Its big open-plan living-dining area flowing to outside entertaining is a real standout with its massive high stud and dramatic ceiling."

18 NORFOLK STREET, PONSONBY
• 4 bedrooms, 3 bathroom, 2 parking spaces.
• Auction: June 12
• Contact: Edward Pak, Bayleys, 021 428 241; Robyn Clark, 021 707 529