Page "Ian Athfield" Paragraph 2

In 1965 Athfield started work on his first major project, Athfield House, for his family and a studio.

Located in Khandallah, Wellington, this distinctive group of structures stands out amongst neighbouring conventional suburban houses.

His early projects were constructed with a broad palette of materials including corrugated iron, plaster, stainless steel and fibre glass.

As a reaction to much of the bland " Modern " architecture of the period, Athfield built in a deliberately vernacular style using features harking back to colonial buildings.

His designs incorporated finials, steeply pitched roofs, timber weatherboards, verandahs and double hung windows.

He was also inspired by the architecture of the Greek Islands with their exterior envelopes of continuous plaster and small windows.

Conversely, he also much admired the work of Mies van der Rohe with their precise and refined detailing of industrial materials.