Tucked into the fabric of suburban Auckland, this architects own home by Paul Clarke of Studio2 Architects reveals a curated yet deeply personal narrative through 10 unexpected design elements. Informed by a career immersed in material exploration and crafted detail, the residence moves beyond typical domestic gestures to create an architectural reflection of memory, family and play.
From the moment of entry, a concrete emblem set into the facade signals a layered story – one that honours the original home while embracing transformation. Referencing the number three, in alignment with the home’s address and Clarke’s three sons, the motif is a tactile fusion of legacy and intention. Across the property, design solutions emerge not from convention, but from lived experience, marking this architects own home as both a testing ground and a personal archive.
Layered artworks – like a vibrant Pat Hanly painting from Clarke’s university days or a rare John Drawbridge piece – infuse the interiors with cultural history and sentiment. These objects aren’t mere decoration but spatial anchors within a home that celebrates the unexpected. Bespoke elements such as exposed double-hung window mechanisms, chain-lifted sashes and adjustable agricultural shutters speak to a fascination with movement and mechanical honesty, elevating everyday rituals with a sense of theatre.
The kitchen, often the emotional centre of the home, features iconic pieces like the VOLA tap, selected not for show but for their quiet endurance and design integrity. This sensitivity to longevity extends into flexible furnishings like a rotating leather chair and Charles Eames’ sculptural 1948 La Chaise – both functional and formally significant. Each selection in this architects own home reflects a design process shaped by curiosity, memory and tactility.
In the outdoor areas, design gestures such as a yo-yo-inspired lamp add humour and adaptability, transforming the deck into a luminous, interactive zone. These layers of utility and playfulness resist the static and underscore the home’s adaptive nature. Whether through robust materials or movable features, the architecture always returns to the human – how people gather, reflect and grow within space.
This architects own home stands as a personal anthology of design ideas that remain grounded in craft. Rather than a polished display, the home invites imperfection and evolution, holding stories in each patina and corner. There’s an inherent joy in its shifting forms – from the sunlight filtering through a hand-pulled shutter to the pivot of a leather chair echoing daily rituals. These moments, simple yet refined, reinforce that architecture at its best is a backdrop to life.
Beyond the physical, the house also captures the intangible: atmosphere, sentiment and rhythm. Designed not just to house a family but to reflect one, the spaces operate on both a functional and emotional register. This architects own home isn’t a statement – it’s a conversation between time, use and imagination. It reminds us that the most powerful architecture often comes from the places we call our own.
00:00 – Unexpected Things: A Tour with Paul Clarke
00:33 – Craft, Detail and the Art of Making
01:23 – Art, Objects and Design That Endures
02:26 – Light, Movement and Interaction
06:59 – Living with Design: Stories of Home and Connection
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Filmed and edited by The Local Production.
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Location: Auckland, New Zealand
The Local Project acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi partners in Aotearoa New Zealand. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our respective countries and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.
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