Lightly Weighted

Auckland, New Zealand

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Lightly Weighted

Auckland, New Zealand

Firm

Oli Booth Architecture

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2022

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

$1M - 5M

Lightly Weighted was conceived as an example of infill housing in an urban context. It sought to address how architectural quality doesn’t need to be compromised at scale typically considered ‘small’.

The 85-square-metre home sits on an equally modest site of 280 square metres. The home is deisnged to manipulate natural light throughout the day, while maintaining privacy. The decision was made early on to keep the footprint small and the quality high to try to emphasise how smaller spaces can feel equally as generous as their larger selves.

The intuitive floor plan is formed from a place of restraint and efficiency. Although spread over two levels, the burrowing of the lower level into the sloping site allows a reduced presence from the approach. It provides a considered engagement with the site, whereby the bedrooms are restful, set within the native vegetation below and feel completely removed from its urban environment.

Anchoring the upper level, the fluted concrete walls sit to the north and east, pulling the overall form together and recalibrating an inward-directed focus. These establish a protective shell that envelops the home and protects the expansive views within. The intent was to create a monolithic facade which seemed robust at a distance, but delicate and intricate on approach. The ridges created between each flute allowed for a natural erosion of the concrete - forming an ever changing shadow play across the facade throughout the seasons.

Exposed concrete acts as a thermal moderator, black floors and ceilings compress the outlook and absorb light. Totara timber wall linings provide warmth and consistency for the vertical elements in the room, while the stone bench is raised on a plinth to create a sculptural anchor to the space. A 4.2m long skylight slot directs sunlight deep into the living spaces and is amplified by the glass mosaic tiles which line the volume itself.

Lightly Weighted reconsiders an inner-urban home, demonstrating the idea that living amongst others need not compromise on feeling reclusive and calm.

Team: Oli Booth, Libby Elmore

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Lightly Weighted

Auckland, New Zealand

Lightly Weighted

Auckland, New Zealand

Product Spec Sheet

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