PHOTO:Rising out of the Wellington ridgeline is Walker Box — a three-level home built on a footprint barely wider than a single garage. NEVER TOO SMALL.
A tiny former garage perched high on a Wellington ridgeline has been transformed into one of New Zealand’s most creative small homes — and the internet is loving it 💥
Designed by Wellington architect:
Micah Rickards
the compact home spans just:
📏 22 square metres (237sqft)
yet somehow manages to include:
✔ A hair salon
✔ Guest accommodation
✔ A full kitchen
✔ Living space
✔ Bedroom
✔ Bathroom
✔ Laundry functionality
✔ Outdoor connection
—all across three cleverly designed levels.
The project is now drawing major international attention after featuring in a popular YouTube architectural home tour video.
🏗️ FROM CRUMBLING GARAGE TO MODERN MICRO-HOME
The story began with an ageing garage structure sitting on a steep Wellington hillside.
Rather than demolish it completely, Rickards saw an opportunity to create something highly functional, flexible, and community-focused.
The result is a striking vertically organised home designed specifically for:
👤 Micah
and his partner:
👤 Ivan
The pair transformed the tiny footprint into an incredibly efficient living environment with almost every centimetre serving multiple purposes.
📐 JUST 22SQM — OVER THREE LEVELS
Because the site footprint was so small, the design expanded upward rather than outward 👀
The home is split across:
🏠 Ground Floor
A highly flexible multi-use zone featuring:
✂️ Ivan’s hair salon
🛏 Guest sleeping area
🎨 Studio/workspace
Instead of traditional walls, curtains are used to create adaptable spaces and maintain openness.
🛁 SMART DESIGN ON THE SECOND LEVEL
The middle floor contains the:
🛏 Bedroom
🚿 Bathroom
But even here, every design choice was carefully considered.
Features include:
✔ Laundry chute system
✔ Space-saving storage
✔ Multi-functional shower/utility space
✔ Minimalist layout
The focus throughout the home was on reducing clutter while maximising usability.
☀️ TOP FLOOR FILLED WITH LIGHT
At the very top sits the home’s main living area 👇
🍳 Kitchen
🛋 Lounge
🍽 Dining space
Despite the tiny footprint, the area feels surprisingly open thanks to:
☀️ A large skylight drawing sunlight deep into the home
🚪 Sliding doors opening onto a compact deck
🌉 A bridge connection linking directly to neighbours and friends
The result is a home that feels socially connected rather than isolated.
🧠 EVERY DETAIL HAS A PURPOSE
One of the standout features of the project is its emphasis on integrated design.
Rather than relying on bulky furniture, the home incorporates:
✔ Built-in joinery
✔ Under-bench appliances
✔ Hidden storage
✔ Built-in daybed seating
✔ Compact cabinetry systems
This creates a clean and efficient interior while making the small footprint feel much larger.
🌿 SMALL HOMES GAINING POPULARITY IN NZ
The project comes as interest in:
🏡 Tiny homes
🏡 Compact living
🏡 Urban intensification
🏡 Architectural efficiency
continues growing across New Zealand.
Rising construction costs, affordability pressures, and changing lifestyle preferences are driving more Kiwis to explore smaller and smarter housing options.
🏘️ WELLINGTON’S UNIQUE HOUSING CHALLENGES
Wellington’s steep terrain and limited flat land have long forced architects and homeowners to think creatively.
Projects like this reflect a growing trend toward:
✔ Vertical living
✔ Small-site architecture
✔ Adaptive reuse
✔ Community-oriented housing design
particularly in inner-city and hillside suburbs where land is scarce and expensive.
🌍 INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION ON NZ DESIGN
New Zealand architecture and tiny home design continue attracting major global interest online.
Viewers from around the world are increasingly fascinated by:
🇳🇿 NZ’s creative use of space
🇳🇿 Indoor-outdoor living
🇳🇿 Sustainable design approaches
🇳🇿 Innovative hillside construction
The Wellington garage transformation is quickly becoming another standout example.
👀 WHY PEOPLE LOVE THIS HOME
What makes the project especially appealing is not just the architecture — but the lifestyle philosophy behind it 👇
The home prioritises:
✨ Simplicity
✨ Functionality
✨ Flexibility
✨ Natural light
✨ Community connection
Rather than simply trying to squeeze a full-sized house into a tiny footprint.
🔥 THE BOTTOM LINE
A once-crumbling Wellington garage has been transformed into an extraordinary 22sqm multi-level home that’s now capturing attention worldwide.
💥 Hair salon downstairs
💥 Skylit living area upstairs
💥 Clever storage everywhere
💥 Tiny footprint
💥 Massive design impact
And as housing affordability and urban density challenges continue growing across New Zealand…
🏡 Projects like this may offer a glimpse into the future of creative city living.
SEE PHOTOS HERE