Lightly Weighted / Oli Booth Architects

Perched looking out from its elevated position, the modest two-bedroom home feels removed and transportive, despite being embedded amongst residences in the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn. While inner-city living has its multitude of benefits, there exists an undeniably compromising closeness between residences, where feeling separated is not always a given. By creating a protective shell of sorts, Lightly Weighted feels both removed and private, where outward views connect to nature as a priority. The small 85-square-meter home sits on an equally modest site of 280 square meters. The clever manipulation of the building form to engage with natural light throughout the day, while maintaining privacy, creates interesting moments that feel sculptural. The decision was made early on to keep the footprint small and the quality high to try to emphasize how smaller spaces can feel equally as generous as their larger selves.