MODA Five by Mckimm

MODA Five, originally a service station and later used as the architect’s office, now stands as a series of connected apartments with elevated proportions. Mckimm has reimagined the building, infusing the site with a fresh purpose while also incorporating essential amenities and a retail space below.

Located in Brighton, just south of Melbourne CBD, MODA Five defies convention with a warmth and elegance typically associated with single-occupancy homes. Crowning the structure is a penthouse that spans the entire level and capitalises on the distant views while offering a sense of seclusion from the floors below. Featuring a refined palette, textured raw finishes and strategic sightlines, natural light permeates the space throughout the day. The resulting structure comprises a series of dwellings that feel unique and luxurious, evoking a sense of escapism and detachment from the outside world.

The resulting structure comprises a series of dwellings that feel unique and luxurious, evoking a sense of escapism and detachment from the outside world.

From the outset, the intent was to craft residences that felt calm yet sophisticated while also integrating functionality and storage. The overall materiality and colour palette throughout the spaces also helps the homes feel more generous while retaining connections to the surrounding context. The airy ambience of the residences stands in contrast to the building’s former identity as a service station, and the warmth of the natural finishes and subtle, soft lighting create an ambient glow from one room to the next. With Venetian plaster walls, this interaction with incoming light also offers a sense of animation.

Both linear and curved features combine throughout, shaping the interior and framing vistas of the nearby city and surrounding greenery. The inclusion of sunlit openings above also welcome views of the sky. Every detail, from the intricate bullnose profile to the artfully arranged pools of light, has been thoughtfully considered to create an experience that is lasting, comfortable and captures the essence of what a home is.

Every detail, from the intricate bullnose profile to the artfully arranged pools of light, has been thoughtfully considered to create an experience that is lasting, comfortable and captures the essence of what a home is.

While MODA Five feels like a unique place to reside, knowing its previous occupation makes the resulting building all the more impressive. Mckimm ensures the design and detailing is timeless and elegant, so the residences remain relevant in the years to come.

Architecture, interior design and build by Mckimm. Landscape design by John Patrick Landscape Architects. Stone by MSM Stone.