Central Otago’s Lucienne and Roland van der Wal will have their house immortalised on television on Monday night’s episode of Grand Designs.

The couple's spectacular home, on their Immigrant’s Vineyard property in Alexandra, was almost entirely built with their own hands and work began in early 2019. 

It has been a long road to this point though, as Lucienne explained.

“We have been here a long time. We arrived as backpackers in 1986 and got stuck. 

“We started in hospitality, owned our own restaurant for ten years. To improve family life, we progressed into retailing, ending up in the supermarket trade. 

“During our time in NZ we moved around a bit, spending time in both the North and South Island. In 2000 we took a sabbatical , during which I studied viticulture at the EIT in Hawkes Bay. 

“In February 2013 we purchased a 23 ha established vineyard in Alexandra.”

Roland always had a dream to design and build a house and the dream eventually became a reality. 

The family went from living in a caravan, to a one bedroom apartment, to where they are now. 

“When we purchased the vineyard, it needed a lot of work as it had not been tended to very well for some years. 

“It took us a good five years to get the crop levels to a decent level and the vineyard finally became economically viable,” Lucienne said. 

“Roland started to design the house, producing lots of variants until he finally decided on the present design. 

“The design was inspired by our heritage as well as the natural beauty and materials available in Central Otago. Our son Michiel is a builder. 

“We asked him if he wanted to be involved. He took on the challenge and has been the sole builder, with Roland doing all the schist stone work.”

Lucienne and Roland van der Wal’s Immigrant’s Vineyard house will feature on Grand Designs on Monday night. 

The project took 18 months. There is 120 tonnes of Oturehua schist in the building, along with hand-made Portuguese floor tiles and Invercargill steel. 

“We have used mostly materials from the region and recycled wood. We envisage to have a “thermal mass” temperature controlled living, with a warm house in winter, using just one wood fire (eco-burning), and keeping it cool in summer, while outside it is hot. Time will tell.”

As for the show and having their whole life documented for 18 months, Lucienne said it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience she will never forget. 

“We have enjoyed every bit of it,” she said. “The past 18 months and the final result have been an epic event in our lives. 

“To have this filmed, to be shared with friends, family and future generations is priceless. The (Grand Designs) team is fantastic and very pleasant to work with.”

Many local businesses were involved in the build, with “too many to name” according to Lucienne. 

Placemakers, Waterworx Plumbing & Gas, Central Otago Electrical, Design Windows, EZY Kitchens Central Otago, Central Colourplus, Flooring Xtra, Opus, JK Steel, and Ironwood are just a number of skilled locals who had input into the build. 

Lucienne said they now have 19ha of land, with 16ha planted, with varieties of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. 

Lucienne van der Wal, her husband Roland and son Michael all got their hands dirty on their build and run a vineyard and cellar door from their new home.

Situated right on the Otago Central Rail Trail, Lucienne has just started a “special wine cycle trail” called Pedal 4 Pinot.

Her and Roland’s love of Central Otago runs deep, with not only the house a homage to the region’s iconic resources, materials, colours and culture, but the lifestyle runs deep too. 

“We love the beauty of the mountains and the land, the four seasons, snow on the mountains, ice skating on the dams,” Lucienne said. “The house is clad in “Central Otago materials”.”

If you would like to visit this grand design, you are in luck. 

“Our house also doubles as a tasting room,” Lucienne said. “We are owner/operators – we work in the vineyard every day. 

“Visiting wine enthusiasts may have to give us a ring to alert us they are at the tasting room and we will meet them.”

Lucienne and Roland’s house will air on Grand Designs on Monday night, 7.30pm on Three. 

The tasting room is open from 11am to 4pm daily.

Photos Rowan Schindler

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