Pac Studio has long demonstrated a distinctive command of colour, deploying it with confidence and nuance in ways that feel both unexpected and entirely at home.
That approach has been recognised at the 2026 Dulux Colour Awards, with the studio’s Auckland project, Waka Huia, receiving the programme’s highest honour — the New Zealand Grand Prix. It also received a commendation in the highly competitive Residential Interior category, standing out among 90 shortlisted projects from across Australia and New Zealand.
Layered with family history and enriched by a remarkable collection of artworks and artefacts, the harbourside villa renovation transforms colour into an architectural device in its own right. Working closely with a client who possessed a deep understanding of colour theory, Pac Studio developed a series of room-specific palettes informed by personal memories, travel experiences, and the home’s existing character.
“The whole approach was really about how much joy you can have in your everyday life with architecture,” says Pac Studio director Sarosh Mulla.
The home’s colour story emerged through extensive research and discussion between architect and client. In the dining room, the palette draws inspiration from the client’s travels through France and memories of a particular railway station, while the kitchen is layered in soft pinks, Dulux Bluff Hill and Dulux Tokatoka, selected for the way they interact with warm timber and brass. Elsewhere, terracotta and rich brown hues bring depth and intimacy to spaces including the library and belvedere, while a sunlit yellow, Dulux Solar, provides a backdrop for art in the gallery-like hallway.
Throughout, colour works in concert with an extraordinary collection of art and objects, creating moments of surprise, warmth, and delight. Carefully considered tonal shifts connect diverse rooms and experiences into a cohesive whole.
For the judges, the project stood apart for the way colour performs alongside architecture, craftsmanship, and materiality to create a richly resolved living environment. Strikingly contemporary yet deeply rooted in memory and meaning, Waka Huia is at once joyful and enduring.
Explore all the Dulux Colour Awards winners at dulux.co.nz/colourawards
