HOLE IN ONE

A mid-century Auckland home is reconfigured to make it more functional for a young family

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There is a wonderful harmony between the home and garden of this Titirangi home. "You look through and it feels like the garden is part of the home," says Julia Mercer of Elbow Architects. Julia was approached with the brief to transform this U-shaped 1960s home by a family who were wanting more space to breathe. They had three small bedrooms a bathroom-laundry crammed into one wing, and the kitchen, living and dining on the other. Julia agreed that the bones were too good to waste but knew the layout needed to be altered. "We're just trying to make it more functional and usable for the family." The showstopper of the home is the reformed courtyard. Julia's magic trick was turning the U-shape into an "O" by repurposing a chunk of the deck into an enclosed lounge. There were no major structural change