THE STUDIO BOWER
The Bower was once an old farm building, later turned into a sleepout, on Helwick Street, Wanaka. The owners wanted it gone, and I saw a chance to build my workspace with reclaimed materials. A few weekends of pulling it apart and getting it to Bannockburn was a hard slog, but well worth it. Beneath the plum orchard, the sleepout was lovingly rebuilt, this time leaving the rimu flooring and beams exposed. Stamped “Made in Great Britain,” corrugated iron clads the Bower. Old sarking (made from shipping crates) lines a wall and the ceiling. Salvaged decking, windows and a door complete the Bower, which houses my grandfather’s desk. No longer a damp sleepout, the Bower became a beautiful building in which to create beautiful spaces for others.
THE STUDIO - BEING REBUILT
After a wait for better weather, holes were hand-dug for concrete footings. Its chosen spot was strategic – the plum trees and clover lawn keep the Bower cool in summer. New insulation made for a warm, dry workroom in the harsh Cromwell winter. Inside, three walls are made with new panelling and painted in a warm white. The latest additions are lights from Buster & Punch London.
THE STUDIO - BEING DISMANTLED
The rain, cold weather, walnut shells and rat drop pings greeted us as work began to shift the damp sleepout from Wanaka to Bannockburn. With great care to the owner’s land, the building and those who helped, each beam, sarking, iron sheet, three heavy walls and prized rimu made its way to a new home.