“In 1959, as a first-year student at the Auckland School, I heard Bill Wilson for the first time, talking brilliantly to a slide show of recent work by the Group. It was a revelation I have never forgotten. The intelligence, erudition and warmth of the man, and the freshness, the zest for construction, and the localism of the work were truly thrilling. It seemed New Zealand architecture had been invented.”
Signature features of the Group Architects movement are much in evidence in the Vennell House. It was built from cedar, and designed to have a close connection with the outdoors. Other key Modernist features include a soaring entry with feature staircase, fluid connections between the multiple living areas, extensive timber panelling and built-in furniture.