Challenger House

The charming Challenger House is located in the New Zealand capital of Wellington at 136 The Terrace. Dwarfed by its neigbours, most at least thirty years younger, Edmund Ancombe's fine 1938 Art Deco apartment block has survived because of its quality.

Originally and best known as Franconia, this building has had several names over the years including ‘Lintas House’, ‘Invincible House’ and ‘Challenger House’. It is six storeys high, the ground floor plinth surmounted by four principal floors and a top level, with the lift machine room projecting above the main roof. It is solidly constructed in reinforced concrete with a rendered finish and is trimmed out with steel windows and doors, balcony rails and the like. Although the interior has been progressively modified over the years, its outward appearance has changed little since its construction in 1938. Edmund Ancombe designed many Art Deco buildings in Wellington including the Post and Telegraph building in Herd Street.

During the 1990's, when it was known as Invincible House, it was the scene of a brutal double murder known as the Thomas Murders. On 16 February, 1994, the then owners of the building, father and son financial dealers Eugene and Gene Thomas, were found shot to death in their offices in the building. After three notorious trials John Barlow, the primary suspect, was finally convicted of the crime and sentenced to life imprisonment in October 1995.

The building was renamed Challenger House to cover its former history. The building was renamed MCC People House for a brief period after its primary lessee however their lease expired in 2011.

It will be interesting to see what new name will be attached to this colourful building be in the future.

Building detail

As MCC People House

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Sources:

• Wellington City Heritage
• The Thomas Murders (crime.co.nz)

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