The Withers Home was the primary constructed work of Auckland architect Russell Withers (1942–2021). It dates from 1969 and is featured in David Mitchell and Gillian Chaplin’s The Elegant Shed (1984).
Whereas the ebook (and subsequent TV collection) raised an consciousness of virtually all of the architects and buildings that appeared in its pages, this was not the case for the Withers Home and the venture has not been printed prior to now 40 years. The home nonetheless exists, nearly fully intact, on the finish of a suburban cul-de-sac and it nonetheless matches Mitchell’s memorable description as “the type of optimistic tour-de-force that solely a younger and gifted architect may have produced”.
From 1971 till 1979, Withers practised with Nick Stanish, as Stanish and Withers. Alongside his architectural apply, he lectured on the College of Auckland from 1977 till the mid-Nineteen Eighties and in addition wrote an everyday column in New Zealand Architect, coping with the political and social facets of architectural apply. He’s thought to have been the primary to deploy the time period ‘bicultural’ in native architectural discourse, in a 1986 column on Racism and Structure.
The 44-page soft-cover ebook, designed and printed by architect Giles Reid and photographer Mary Gaudin, follows books on John Scott’s Werry and Francis Homes, Ivan Juriss’ Worrall Home and Henry Kulka. Go to marygaudin.com to be taught extra.
