Room to move in warehouse living

VICKI HOLDER finds that there is plenty of room to flex some creative muscle in this warehouse conversion.

What artist hasn't dreamed of living in a vast studio loft above spacious and comfortable work premises? They might be a dime a dozen in cities like London and New York, but well-conceived warehouse conversions like this one near the heart of Newmarket are not so common in Auckland. Judging from the response the owner has had since he put it on the market, many people are keen on the possibilities offered by such living arrangements.

It's difficult to imagine the wonderful character that lies hidden behind the fairly anonymous two-storey green facade. Distinguished only by a huge number five tilted next to the linen-finish stainless-steel door, the building looks unremarkable from the street.

The door opens to a brilliantly sunny yellow foyer where visitors can wait. A downstairs toilet is handily located beside the door.

A roller door on the street leads to secure parking; owners can drive the car or truck straight in to pick up or deposit large items. Nothing could be easier.

Past a security area behind a steel grille, the reinforced concrete building opens into an enormous open warehouse or studio space. With a high 3.2m stud and about 366 sq m of floor area, the space stretches for miles. Well-lit and insulated with batts in the mid-floor ceiling, it's not at all cold, dark or dingy. Because it is almost completely open, the new owner has total flexibility to create different rooms or areas, if desired.

Stylish tread-plate stairs swing up to the living level. Unlike the lower floor, no supporting columns break up the space. Like a huge sports stadium, it features a curved roof floating lightly over the walls, inviting games of cricket, soccer or extravagant dance parties. A beautiful steel structure, the roof was measured with a laser beam to form a curve that is perfectly symmetrically balanced and which spans the length of the room.

Large skylights bring light and warmth inside. The opaque surface of some of the skylights is designed to reduce UV light and to prevent heat build-up in summer. An industrial-strength extractor fan, also in the ceiling, is so strong it will clear a smoky cook-up from the kitchen within an hour. The owners turn the extractor on in the early evening in summer to refresh the upstairs area.

The original tawa floors have been polished to add rich character and offset the pristine white walls and ceiling.

Designers or artists needn't worry about the light quality - daylight indicator lights ensure that it's perfect. Although the ceiling is insulated, fans languidly spinning beneath the roof canopy help create a cool, calm environment in summer.

While there's plenty of space to play with, the present owners have installed a modest kitchen and small breakfast bar at the front of the building along windows overlooking the street. Storage is contained in a walk-in pantry and the fridge/freezer is concealed on the same wall. Beside the kitchen, a trap door in the floor can be opened to bring large pieces of furniture or sculpture up from the lower level.

The owners have logically chosen to position the bedroom as far from the entertaining area as possible. A partition extends from the side wall and heavy cream curtains hang on a stainless-steel rod to screen the bedroom from the rest of the space.

A regular-sized wardrobe would be dwarfed in such a setting. Instead, the rear wall is covered with built-in cabinetry, more than enough space for the average person's needs. However, the owners have also devised freestanding mobile storage units that can be placed handy to the various functions that take place in this magnificent space.

Facing the large set of windows at the front of the building, the bathroom/laundry and separate toilet are much like those in an ordinary home, but more stylish than some.

With its mixed use business zoning, creative possibilities abound for both personal or commercial use in this comfortable, character-filled building.

Vital statistics

Address: 5 McColl St, Newmarket.

Features: Standalone, reinforced concrete block building on two levels, renovated to a high grade; upstairs loft apartment with curved ceilings and polished tawa floors; downstairs has 3.2-metre stud plus roller door and remote-controlled access.

Size: Land area about 366 sq m; first floor area about 366 sq m.

Capital value: $570,000.

Auction: At 12 pm on Tuesday, September 11 at 76 Gladstone Rd, Parnell.

Agent: Fiona McKenzie, Kellands Real Estate, Parnell. Ph 302 8884 bus; 025 296 8884 mob.