Occupied by a constant rotation of art school students, ‘Joybong’ (affectionately named after the Thai restaurant situated below the flat on Karangahape Road) is one big maze… Guests start their ‘Joybong journey’ at the entrance – an orange feature-wall with a hole into the kitchen, featuring an extremely high and very small window with writing […]
Your Place | Joybong
Occupied by a constant rotation of art school students, ‘Joybong’ (affectionately named after the Thai restaurant situated below the flat on Karangahape Road) is one big maze…
Guests start their ‘Joybong journey’ at the entrance – an orange feature-wall with a hole into the kitchen, featuring an extremely high and very small window with writing around it, a fish tank, and welcoming flower lei’s. From there, you can either go left and up or right and up. If you go left, you go through a room with exposed wooden walls and a bright orange couch, if you go right, you pass through a surreal grey room where the walls are literally dripping in paintings and books. Old and broken but functional chairs sit facing the door as if they’re waiting for guests. Extremely steep stairs lead guests to the twin loft rooms where the skylights cast formalist shadows on suspended wardrobes, and test pots painted on the walls look like a million dollars as they sit gently next to fresh white sheets.
It’s a learning house, filled with books, notes, works-in-progress, artworks; old, new, gifted and inherited. Overall, the flat feels youthful and homely, scattered with snowboards amongst artworks, and beds left unmade as though the sheets are always at the laundry. It is strangely cosy and will remind its guests of a time when freedom summarised living standards and the emphasis was fun.
Welcome to Joybong.
See more of Joybong, photographed by the fucking brilliant Ophelia King, [here]
