BACH 114

BACH 114

The bach on site 114 is another professionally built structure. It demonstrates a range of bungalow style features: A shallow pitched gable roof with the soffit sarked with T G & V boards and the rafter ends exposed. This bach/cottage is clad with bevel back w’boards with mitred corners. Casement, bay, sliding & Fixed windows are represented within the same joinery style.  The original verandah has been enclosed, the windows and doors made for the job. A flared vertical board skirt encloses the porch.

This bach has the largest floor plan of the professionally built bungalow style baches.  It is not however a bulky building.  The shallow pitched roof slopes to little more than door height over the porch. The strong horizontal appearance provided by the roof edge, the full width glazing & the weatherboards below creates and elegant appearance & congruity with the ground line.

This bach has significance in that like ‘Mairangi’ it demonstrates an adaptation of the bungalow cottage style.  The deep verandah originally allowed inhabitants to have a more flexible continuity with the island environment than the ‘inside’ ‘outside’ alternatives of the Watson baches.  This flexibility has suffered with the enclosure of the verandah.

This bach is one of the most inland baches remaining on Rangitoto.  The site is on a promontory above the tennis courts & pavilion.  There is a long view to the sea and Islington Bay.  There were significant areas at the back for vegetables and a chook house!!

Reference – Dr Jeremy Treadwell.

The Rangitoto Bach Settlements and Community Hall
An Architectural and Historical Appraisal

First restoration diary entry 1st October 2005 – Allan Godsall

“We have started on Bach 114. We tightened up our security of the building by repairing the back door and securing the windows on the side. We needed to do that as that’s way we got in ourselves as I had left the key at 38. We also checked our new generator out and tried to get the gas fittings correct for the cooker, it needed a piece to replace the regulator as it is self regulating. We lifted up the set squabs to find they had storage lockers so we fitted tee hinges, hasps and staples and padlocked so we can store our power tools and tools of value in there. On the other side we store all our nails and bolts etc as we planned before of what the requirement would be and had prepurchased as with all the timber. We have also gone around the Bach and planned requirements for the spouting. On 20th Sept I went to Marley NZ seeking sponsorship again which was granted hence we saved $1200.00 plus. When we arrived at 114 on 15th Oct it had been delivered and place inside 114 by DoC boy’s.”

Bach 114 current day: click to enlarge

Bach 114 renovations: click to enlarge