Designed for Matt Rout, the son of the late Jonty Rout, this small-footprint house is an exercise in space-efficient living and cost-effective materiality. The client’s design brief sought a small-scale, military/industrial-like form that was reminiscent of a bunker or look-out tower for himself and his teenage son. The brief for a small-scale house was largely driven by the client’s considered reflection on how little space he actually needed in which to live – a concern for the environment and creating a small carbon footprint. The project had a very tight budget, it was hoped that the majority of the materials could be New Zealand made and/or sourced.