SUBURBAN, KIWI-STYLE LAUNCH FOR MCKAY, STEVENS AND DEVITT’S STATE HOUSE BOOK

Sarah Thornton reports:

“State houses seem to be everywhere and it’s true – they are spread throughout the country, from Kaitaia to Bluff. The archetypal houses of the First Labour Government are as distinctive as villas and bungalows, and over 30,000 were built while Labour was in government from 1935 to 1949” writes Bill McKay in Beyond the State: New Zealand State Houses from Modest to Modern, which has just been published by Penguin Group NZ.

How appropriate then, that the launch of Beyond the State should not only be in a state house in the Auckland suburb of Westmere, but attended by Labour MPs David Shearer and Phil Twyford. And as Penguin Publisher and the book’s commissioning editor Debra Millar said at the beginning of her speech, “it’s the perfect place to have a typical Kiwi party; in the kitchen, spilling out on to the (wrap-around) deck.” Mercifully, a fine sprinkling of rain evaporated into a late glow of sunshine as the assembled guests – comprising friends, family and colleagues – mingled and chatted animatedly.

Beyond the State - Debra Millar, Bill McKay & Simon Devitt

The state house where the book was launched is actually featured in Beyond the State and appears on the front cover, and warm thanks are due to private owner Drew McGuire, who agreed to open his home for the evening so that we could all celebrate the publication of this elegantly written, stunningly designed and produced hardback book. The book’s two authors are Bill McKay, the Associate Head of the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland, and Andrea Stevens, architect-turned writer and editor; the photography is by leading architecture photographer, Simon Devitt.

What a proud moment for Bill, Andrea, Simon and Debra to receive such overwhelmingly positive feedback about the book. Graham Darlow (left), the Chief Executive Construction Group from the Fletcher Construction Company Ltd, who sponsored the book, spoke about how the iconic New Zealand state house goes back to the company’s roots under the watch of James Fletcher. Fletcher made a significant contribution in getting the scheme underway, and his company was responsible for designing and building many of the state houses we see around the country today. Darlow said that Fletchers “is now poised to (again) significantly increase its involvement in the housing market, and is currently buying up large swathes of land on which to build more affordable housing for New Zealanders.”

Drew’s 1939-designed state house underwent a significant renovation and extension; a collaborative project between Drew and Paul Clarke writes Andrea Stevens in Part Two of Beyond the State. And it is just as well, for the house was bursting at the seams with more than 100 guests – including family, friends, owners of houses inside the book, and prominent architects – at the height of the launch. Babich kindly provided a selection of their finest wines and Fletchers’ catered generously, with a delectable range of charcuterie platters from Mint Kitchen. John Balasoglou from Aalto Books (above right with Andrea Stevens) was on hand to sell copies and sold all his stock before the end of the night.

Beyond the State is a remarkable book, written and published when the earliest houses were reaching their 75^th anniversary. The launch was a wonderful event, where we not only celebrated the carefully crafted book, but also recalled the importance of New Zealand’s modest, community-minded state house.