A Modern State Home: An investigation into the legacy and heritage values of traditional New Zealand State Homes in a contemporary environment

New Zealand state houses have been a prominent architectural typology since the 1900s. Due to the longevity and rapid production of these homes, the style features across the country and are as recognisable as New Zealand’s villas and bungalows. However, what future do these homes have given society’s change in housing needs?

This thesis endeavours to create strategies to maintain the legacy and heritage values of these traditional state homes in a contemporary environment. It will particularly focus on New Zealand’s detached suburban family state homes of the 1940s.

Today, protecting these homes is necessary due to their current demolition and unsympathetic renovation. It is critical to protect them not only because they are an icon of New Zealand residential architecture but because they represent how state housing can be perceived positively by society. Formalising the process in which these state houses are renovated protects them from demolition and home renovators who fail to preserve heritage value.

To formalise this process, this thesis will produce design strategies that users can follow when renovating. These strategies will consider today’s housing needs as well as the traditional heritage values of this state home era.

Perhaps, by studying this topic further protecting New Zealand state housing could be encouraged and owning one could once again be desired.