PHOTO: TESSA CHRISP/NZ HOUSE & GARDEN The first sighting of the house, Rākaunui, hunkered below the eucalyptus plantation; the huge multi-paned front window faces directly down a driveway lined with macadamia
The angular black house stretches long and low across the crest of a Raglan hill. Towering behind is a stand of mature eucalyptus trees and in front are panoramic views of Whāingaroa Harbour and its mighty white-topped bar. To the west is the ancient volcano Mt Karioi. It’s a lot to take in: quintessential Raglan mixed with touches of Australia.
Auckland couple Anna and Craig Fisher first saw all of this last year when the black house was for sale. They came to an open home and they were “just looking, thank you” because they already had a much-loved bach in the west coast town.
But they were captured by this bold metal-clad home, which had been designed for a Raglan family by Kris Wilson of Hamilton firm Design House Architecture 18 months before, and it was looking for new owners. The house won three awards at the Waikato Regional ADNZ Architectural Design Awards last year, and Kris calls it the Eucalypt-haus.
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