There’s a lot of talk about how we might live better in our cities – though arguably, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington has always done well on that front.

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For our latest Open Home with Dulux, we head to two very different projects built 150 years apart, which show that living in smaller spaces, and being careful with the land we occupy, can lead to charming results. 

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In the case of Block Party (which you can read more about here), Spacecraft Architects worked with a co-housing group of young clients to build four terrace houses on one site. The homes are simple and functional, with great spaces and good sun – but the place also has a wonderful communal building to be enjoyed by all. 

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Across town, LO’CA added just one room to a 4.5m-wide, heritage-listed 1870s cottage in Thorndon, reached down a pedestrian walkway on a slip of land. The new extension connects beautifully to a courtyard garden, and brings in much-needed light. The planning is clever and the details are thoughtful, the sum much greater than its parts.

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What:

Block Party (right) by Spacecraft Architects and Thorndon Light Catcher (left) by LO’CA

Where:

Southgate and Thorndon, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington

When:

Saturday 1 April, 2023; 30-minute sessions from 9.30am

Tickets:

$25 (limited numbers!) from open-home-wellington.eventbrite.co.nz

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