Behind the photoshoot: Poppa's Palace, Grey Lynn

We recently styled our furniture and textiles in Poppa’s Palace, a 50-square-metre home situated in Auckland’s Grey Lynn.

Nestled in an awkwardly shaped site, this home forms a multi-generational family compound—celebrating impeccable, clear-eyed design that pushes all boundaries.

Designed by Oli Booth Architecture, the project was awarded Best House Aotearoa in the HERE Awards 2023.

In the lead-up to the awards, we were asked to help style the space. Our furniture and textiles seamlessly integrated into the space, working in unison with the architecture.

Discover imagery from the photoshoot and get to know architect Oli Booth below.

 

Hi, Oli! It was incredible to be welcomed into Pete’s home and see your clever design. Despite the small floor area, the space feels generous and open. How did you achieve this?
With smaller spaces, we aim to create generosity through honesty. One way that this can be achieved is through full-height glazing and concealing structural elements in the floor or ceiling. Alongside this, we increased the stud height to 2.6m and inserted two skylights in the roof. This extends your focal points beyond the walls of the building and helps to make everything feel more generous.

 

What aspect of the project are you most proud of?
It was an opportunity to show how an unused, awkward space could become a vibrant family home. Pete was able to be a part of his extended whānau, without living on top of them.

 

Do you have a favourite Città piece from the HERE photoshoot?
Yes, the Daily armchair—it begs to be sat in! It found a lovely place in the living area and was comfortable and easy to manoeuvre. It meant that Pete could track the sun comfortably throughout the day.

 

Your portfolio spans a variety of projects. Is there something you haven’t done that you’d like to do in your career?
I'd love to have a crack at an accommodation typology. Sometimes it can be a bit same-same. It would be nice to consider how we experience landscapes.

 

We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Oli and HERE. To learn more about the project, visit Oli Booth Architecture’s website. The HERE Awards winners and finalists are featured in issue 21.