What if your home could do more with less? We sit down with architect Micah to unpack the craft of designing compact spaces that feel generous, from clever room swaps and foldaway beds to ventilation that keeps things comfortable without energy-hungry cooling. His path through French Beaux-Arts training and life in dense European cities shaped a simple idea: small can be rich, warm, and deeply liveable when every square metre earns its keep.Micah walks us through a standout project: a three-level Wellington home on a 100 m² site where a failing garage once sat. Picture a single-car footprint stretched vertically, stitched together by a spiral stair and layered microclimates: cool work space at ground, calm bedroom in the middle, sunlit living up top. To get there, he navigated subdivision, services, and strict envelopes, proving to council that neighbour privacy and outlook could be protected. The house went on to win a national architecture award and, soon after, the city changed its rules to better support small-site housing.This conversation gets practical fast. We talk flexible rooms that convert in minutes, downsizing without sacrifice, and how airflow, opening skylights, and cross-ventilation replace the need for air-con. We explore why right-sized homes cut clutter and cost, strengthen neighbourhoods with gentle density, and still host friends, family, and work-from-home days with ease. If you’ve ever looked at a front yard or old garage and wondered “could this be a home?”, here’s a blueprint that shows how.Enjoyed the show? Follow and share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find smart design ideas for small homes.Send us a text Support the showBuy your first home in NZ Weekly Webinars You thought it's not possible or the dream is too far away? Come to my webinar and I will show you, you are much closer to your dream, than you think you are! Join Here - https://bit.ly/4m9SL72

Ver todos los episodios