pac studio references sci-fi films and spaceships for new zealand home

earth-hugging, dark and modern, the ‘spaceship’ house was designed by pac studio for a film industry client’s family. located in the grey lynn neighborhood of auckland, new zealand, the house has an eerie feel and a hint of a dystopian aesthetic. the client’s many sci-fi film credits influenced the architects to design a residence with a unique spatial look and experience.

the approach brought by pac studio embraces both the slope of the site and the request for a flat, north-facing yard. the level of the rear yard continues through the generous living volume and appropriates the roof of the volume below as an informal outdoor deck. the outdoor space provides views of auckland’s volcanic cones and is an extension of the living area that maximizes the usable outdoor space of the site.

the steel screens and metal cladding complement the softer cedar, combining into a black texture that references a futuristic, lunar palette. permeating the dark facade, the entry to the house is through a steel and polycarbonate walkway on the side of the building. once inside, a glazed courtyard planted with dense native greenery is revealed. this light filled void is at the heart of the home and is the pivot for circulation into the bedrooms, bathroom and the common second lounge that expands from the hall to create a connection through the courtyard to the street.

a black strand board void cuts through the middle of the spaces, housing the straight-run stair that ascends to the large living area. the movement from light to dark, and from contraction to expansion was designed to create a point of inflection in the interior. the kitchen, to the west, opens out to the roof deck. the sloping roof forms follow the contours of the site, culminating in an overhanging north deck.

the house shapes itself around an intimate connection with both its planted landscape and the urban environment. through the residence, pac studio is in pursuit of a new suburban approach that is both robust and humane.