All Black legend John Kirwan and one of our most well known mental health advocates in New Zealand has decided with wife Fiorella to move on from their dream home in Mission Bay. Once a designer home for all the family, they are keen to downsize and turn thier hand at another home project, now that their children have left the nest.
The Kirwan’s engaged with Chris Tate Architecture about 8 years ago when settling back in NZ from living abroad in Japan and Italy. They took on the project to transform the steep and challenging site above Mission Bay into a generous family home with sweeping views of Rangitito and Waitamata habour across the whole house. “We will miss this, it’s absolutely world-class views,” Kirwan say’s.
With a C.V of 6 million, its a modern architectual , high-end home which boasts some 337sqm of individually articulated white elevations across 4 floating levels. Floor to ceiling glazed joinery creates a dramatic effect of harbour vistas and creates an airy and light-filled home warmed by its under floor heating. The interior style combines the simple and elegant white walls and kitchen cabinetry, frameless glass ballastrades, along with blending vintage meets modern and industrial design elements including the highly polished conrete counters. The Kirwan’s have produced a stunning family-orientated home for entertaining, including a well designed rustic brick meets industrial style kitchen with that Italian touch and an entertainers courtyard fitted with a wood-fired pizza oven.
“We live in the kitchen and dining room. We do a lot of entertaining. We love it here. We can have 20 people for lunch and dinner”. “I love the view. It gives me peace, the sea gives me peace. I’ll certainly miss that.” say’s John Kirwan.
