Archives Lounge: Bill Sutton's House

In 1963 artist Ōtautahi Christchurch artist Bill Sutton commissioned his friend Tom Taylor to design a house for him at 20 Templar Street. Sutton went on to live, work and entertain in this house until his death in 2000. It was then bought by curator and art historian Neil Roberts whose intention was to donate it to the citizens of Christchurch. This plan was upended when the 2011 Christchurch earthquake found the house, though structurally undamaged, on the very edge of the Red Zone and set for demolition. After a long and difficult campaign to stop this, ownership was transferred to Christchurch City Council, who now lease the property to the Sutton Heritage House and Garden Charitable Trust to manage on their behalf.

In 2018, Heritage New Zealand recognised the importance of this building, its design, its history and the lush garden that surrounds it, by designating it as a Category One Historic Place

Sutton House is now home to an artist’s residency, allowing practising artists to spend time living and working in a house designed specifically for that purpose – one that was occupied for over forty years by one of Waitaha Canterbury’s most distinguished artists.