Being an architect was part of my imaginings since primary school days. Around that time, I discovered the works of Roger Walker. On weekends, my father used to take me ‘Walkering’ – our word for searching out the weird and wonderful houses on Wellington’s hills that became Roger’s hallmark. The joy sparked by his works were to have a lasting influence on me; it was only fitting that my own house would later be named ‘Walker Box’.

While studying architecture in France, a tutor once asked me why I was there, specifically, whether I wanted to stay in Europe to work on larger projects. The honest answer was no. Even then, I imagined a smaller, solo practice with me working closely with clients, focusing on a ‘joyful’ architecture, and exploring the possibilities within small yet tricky briefs.

Around the time of starting Micah Architecture, I was navigating a recent diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Establishing my own studio allowed me to shape my work flow — setting a slower and more flexible pace that felt more sustainable. While it would be disingenuous not to acknowledge the challenge of balancing work and life as a solo architect, circumstances at that time reinforced a natural inclination toward a small practice where I could apply a critical and explorative lens to small scale design — a scale where I’m comfortable and adept.

The timing coincided with a commission from a trusting acquaintance and the nearing completion of Walker Box. Building my own home, which entailed continual design exploration right to the end, allowed me to test ideas for living within a small footprint, learn from them and set the stage for my studio and its focus on going forward.

Photography: Ivan Lemajic, David Straight, Micah Rickards