Remuera’s reputation as Auckland’s leafiest suburb is a long time in the making, it’s flax-laden lands and towering, bird-filled forest first attracting Māori in the early 13th century.
The moniker, however, perhaps has less peaceful origins, believed to stem from the te reo, Remu-wera, with remu meaning edge or hem, and wera meaning burned. It has been argued to be rooted in a grisly story of a visiting chieftainess being killed and placed in an oven while still in her skirt; though others dispute this.
By the time of European arrival, inter-tribal warring meant that the area was mostly deserted, and it was soon turned into farmland. Remuera – or ‘Remmers’ to its mates – began to take shape as a suburb in the late 19th century when there were around 300 houses and a handful of churches, and schools around the Remuera Road, back then a muddy track that led into town. Progress was swift, and by the early 1900s, Remuera boasted trams, gas and electricity, and metered water supplies, and Remuera Road received its first layer of concrete in 1921.
Artist Eden
“Playing all day in the jungle that was Waiata Reserve before they put in the pathways are among my favourite childhood memories,” says Remuera photographer Paul Nathan, aka the artist, Bonco. “Along with bicycling down Victoria Avenue or Orakei Road at high speed! And being taken to the Milnes department store.”
Paul now lives one street away from where he was born and opposite where he went to primary school.
“My grandparents and great grandparents all lived nearby,” recalls the artist. “Things have probably changed more in the last few years than I ever remember in my 53 years.”
I ask about any stories he recalls from those old days.
“I remember my brother walking home from school and being approached by an old man who asked him if he’d like him to come and talk to his class,” chuckles Paul. “My brother was a bit freaked out and didn’t know what to say. The following week he recognised the man as he was sitting in the car driving with my mother. It was Sir Edmund Hillary!”
Paul says he still enjoys exploring Waiata Reserve, along with other local gems like Tinana Wilson’s Beach and Bloodworth Park. “I walk the dog twice a day and most people smile and say hello as you pass by,” he says. “Remuera is a very gentle, quiet place to live.”
He recommends prawn omelette with the Russian layer cake and morning coffee at Crispy Eatery, and the Fungi pizza at Spiga for dinner to round off “a heavenly day” – with special mention for the special sake at Wakuwaku Japanese restaurant for its special sake.
And if you were to sum up Remmers in a few words?
“Old and easy.”
European Eating
“Remuera has got a very European feeling,” says Fabrizio Napolitano, chef and owner of Spiga restaurant. “Luckily, lots of our guest get to travel and when they return they kind of expect to find similar offers.”
And such European offerings can, of course be found at Spiga, a gloriously authentic, high-end Italian eatery tucked away in Remuera. Fabrizio began learning his craft early from both his Italian grandmothers who “instilled a knack for finding quality produce and an understanding of the value that comes from forming a rapport with trusted vendors”. They did this with regular trips to local markets, “carefully choosing the best ingredients” and igniting Fabrizio’s passion for food.
He later trained under Chef Walter Eynard, whose restaurant in Italy has two Michelin stars, and then opened his first restaurant, NOM, in Hong Kong.
“We’ve always had big restaurants around the world and never in a neighbourhood, this time we wanted to be bit more boutique,” the chef tells Verve. “Spiga is a place where you could dine every night, we’re casual but chic and refined at the same time.”
He sums up Remuera, as “chic, unpretentious, happy, and cool”, a place where you can truly feel the love and support of the locals. The only he thing he would like to see change, he says, is “the addition of more parking spaces!” The all-new 1050 Remuera precinct, he says is the suburb’s ultimate hidden gem.
The Nitty Gritty on 1050
Positioned in the heart of the suburb, 1050 Remuera is a premium retail, hospitality, and commercial precinct built to “reactivate a forgotten part of a beautiful historical village, loved by many over the years”.
“The brief was to establish an artisanal mixed-use precinct that could support the local community and businesses to augment Remuera village’s reputation,” says architect Maggie Carroll, director of Bureaux, the studio behind the 1050 precinct. “The vision was to enhance the amenity of the area, providing opportunities for residents nearby to ‘live life local’ and to establish a destination for visitors.”
Maggie tells Verve that it wasn’t just the creation of the new precinct that they considered, but visitors’ journey into it. “We wanted to foster a sense of discovery through creating laneways and a ‘see-through’ experience between the new and existing buildings,” she reveals. “The focus was to connect and support the tenants as well as invite anyone to enjoy the moments in between.
“The layering of forms and textures – glass gables, cedar and copper wrapped pavilions and carefully detailed shopfronts – creates a density and richness of detail that speaks to the life and activity of a successful village.”
Though introducing “contemporary design solutions”, Maggie says that it was essential to respect the existing buildings’ form and materiality.
“Our objectives were to create a sense of permanence, enhancing what went before with considered new interventions and provide a focal point that enhanced the reputation of the village.”
The precincts materials serve to “draw character from the heritage brickwork with new insertions and reworkings which do not seek to recreate history but rather carry the precinct into the future”.
“The contemporary forms, modern details and high-quality materials were proposed for their capacity to achieve a beautiful patina of age, over time and blend in with the old.”
Maggie laments the lack of intimacy in modern commercial developments and says that her studio’s philosophy focuses on materiality and craft.
“Bureaux designs to the human experience and all the things we touch, see and interact with, while considering the smallest details,” she adds. “It was important that the design for 1050 was tailored to its community and created a sense of place and an experience that was timeless and rich in character.”
