Designed for a couple in Wellington, New Zealand, this small home puts the focus on affordable materials and stunning views.
![The Thornton House sits on a steep site in Brooklyn, Wellington, New Zealand, with a small footprint of just 50 square meters.](https://myproperty.life/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/this-compact-new-zealand-home-uses-low-cost-materials-to-dazzling-effect.jpg)
When architects Cecile Bonnifait and William Giesen, co-founders of Bonnifait+Giesen Architects, were tasked with designing a home for a couple in Wellington, New Zealand, the steep topography of the site posed a challenge. “The site is part of a very old Wellington subdivision that was never developed due to extreme topographical constraints for access and building,” says Bonnifait. “So, we designed the house as a small tower with a 50-square-meter footprint to minimize impact on the site.”
![The Thornton House sits on a steep site in Brooklyn, Wellington, New Zealand, with a small footprint of just 50 square meters.](https://myproperty.life/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/this-compact-new-zealand-home-uses-low-cost-materials-to-dazzling-effect-1.jpg)
The Thornton House sits on a steep site in Brooklyn, Wellington, New Zealand, with a small footprint of just 50 square meters.
Russell Kleyn
![The majority of the house is clad in inky blue metal—a durable, low-maintenance material.](https://myproperty.life/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/this-compact-new-zealand-home-uses-low-cost-materials-to-dazzling-effect-2.jpg)
The majority of the house is clad in inky blue metal—a durable, low-maintenance material.
Russell Kleyn
The clients, Tomoko and Aaron, wanted a small, compact home with a strong connection with the surrounding landscape. They also wanted to save on the building costs by doing some of the work themselves—including painting and constructing built-in furniture. Even the kitchen was designed to be built by Aaron using affordable materials.
![The central stair divides the home in two, but internal windows maintain open sight lines between the various spaces.](https://myproperty.life/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/this-compact-new-zealand-home-uses-low-cost-materials-to-dazzling-effect-3.jpg)
The central stair divides the home in two, but internal windows maintain open sight lines between the various spaces.
Russell Kleyn
See the full story on Dwell.com: This Compact New Zealand Home Uses Low-Cost Materials to Dazzling Effect