Home bought for love turns out to be architectural treasure

Wednesday, 25 March 2026

This home was designed by James Hackshaw, of the celebrated Group Architects team, which pioneered mid-century modern architecture in New Zealand, in 1967.

Aucklander Gemma James had no idea she was buying a piece of Kiwi architectural history when she bought 26 Martin Crescent in Northcote, Auckland. She just knew she’d never seen anything like it before.

She was struck by the rimu timber panelling, and the way the home opened to the garden, and seemed to bring the garden inside.

'It immediately felt warm and welcoming, and it was quite unusual in the way that it stepped down the site.'

The home steps down the gentle slope at 26 Martin Crescent, Northcote.

James bought the home from Mary Fitzgibbon, who had commissioned the home in 1967.

Fitzgibbon left James with the architect’s original plans for the house, and some details about the materials used to build the home - a “lovely reference for anybody who's interested in these homes”.

Plans for Fitzgibbon house supplied by Mary Fitzgibbon when the home was sold in 2004.

'We could tell it had been architecturally designed, but we didn't know who by until a number of years after owning it.'

James was approached by an estate agent who asked if the home was designed by Group Architects. She told the agent she “had no idea”, but started doing some digging. It was only then that she realised how important the home was architecturally.

The home, Fitzgibbon House, had been designed by James Hackshaw, of the celebrated Group Architects team, which pioneered mid-century modern architecture in New Zealand.

In fact, the home is a classic example of the unique style of home Group Architects championed. Drawing on Japanese and Scandinavian influences, their buildings responded specifically to the location, and the needs of Kiwi family life.

The home is full of original native timber work.

Sitting on a sloped section, Fitzgibbon House steps down the hillside in three sections. At the top is a carport and entrance, then the open-plan kitchen and living room, and four bedrooms. A third level holds a second living room.

Every major room in the house has access to the garden. The bedrooms have “stable” doors that can be opened either to access the garden, or as a window.

There are patios and decks around the home that help connect the interior to the space outside.

'The lovely thing about living in this house and having a family in this house, is that the kitchen's right in the middle of the home. Everything radiates out from the kitchen,' says James. 'We do all our entertaining out there. It's just a lovely place for entertaining.'

The family room opens onto a courtyard, perfect for entertaining.

There are nine doors in the home that will take you outside.

'Every bedroom has a stable door that then opens out onto that sheltered deck under the eaves, and we loved that immediately.'

The cosy patio space is great for entertaining, the owner says.

The western side of the house, where the sun sets, is bathed in sunlight from about 11am each day. The kitchen and family room open onto a large patio courtyard there, which is also sheltered by overhanging eaves.

James says it’s a “really lovely home to live in, and to raise children in”. She and partner Callum Smith have five children between them.

The bedrooms all have stable-style doors, that can give access to the garden, or act as a window.

“Although it's a large home, it doesn't feel large living in it because you are in close contact with all the rooms in the house from the centre of it. Nothing's very far away.'

James has done very little to the house. Not because she’s been “passive” about it, but because the house was so well designed, they never needed to do much, beyond replacing and expanding the courtyard off the living room.

The home is built with indoor-outdoor flow in mind.

'It was just so beautifully put together. It never really needed anything apart from maintaining it and looking after it, and the heating that we put in because it was bloody cold in winter.'

Some of the best features of the house include a large utility room, and the rear of the house that includes a housekeeper’s desk - the home is also full of built-in storage, another boon for housekeeping.

In the kitchen, there’s a very funky, built-in range hood that still works. Lighting for the space is managed via three long colour-coded pull switches, hanging by the range.

'The design of it is really thoughtful,' says James. 'They talk about Group homes having a sort of a funny style [but it’s] elegant minimalism. It would be lovely to walk through this house without any of our furniture in it, because you'd really get a sense of […] the long running lines that just keep repeating throughout the house.'

Now that the couple’s children are all grown up, they are thinking of downsizing to their place in Raglan. They will be sad to leave this unique home, but it’s time to find its next owner.

'We've enjoyed being custodians of it, and we'd love to be able to pass it on to somebody who would enjoy it as much as we have. I know it was a real treasure to the Fitzgibbon family, too,' James says. 'It would be neat to be able to reach somebody who understands the architectural and historical significance of Group homes, because I think this house is a really lovely example of the work they did.'

Homes by Group Architects are tightly held, much sought-after, and typically achieve excellent prices when they do come to market.

The 1960-built Mann house, a concrete block-built home, designed by Group Architects’ Ivan Juriss, sold at auction in early March for $2.9 million - a record for one of Juriss’ homes. There were nine registered bidders.

With a CV of $1,950,000, Fitzgibbon house is for sale by deadline, which closes on April 15. The listing is with Elaine Ferguson for Ray White.