Spring Street Apartment by Lovell Burton

The renovation of a home within one of Melbourne’s first apartment towers reimagines its rich modernist history and striking aspect, offering both urban immersion and refuge.

At the edge of Melbourne’s city grid, adjacent to Parliament House and St Patrick’s Cathedral, there is a rather conspicuous apartment building once affectionately dubbed ‘the tower of power’. While the myriad worlds within its walls remain a mystery, Lovell Burton’s considered rejuvenation of one apartment on the 14th floor reveals the potential the building holds. Inspired by the idea of contrasts, the firm has maximised the panoramic outlook across the leafy eastern suburbs to the dense grain of the CBD, creating an escape that remains fundamentally connected to place.

The brief called for a reconfiguration of the existing floor plan to open the apartment to the urban outlook while retaining an intimate, domestic feel.

“It actually started as a kitchen renovation but quickly evolved to encompass the whole apartment,” recalls Joseph Lovell, principal at Lovell Burton, of the original project. The brief called for a reconfiguration of the existing floor plan to open the apartment to the urban outlook while retaining an intimate, domestic feel. “In terms of functional requirements, it was about democratising public and private areas and bringing in a palette of materials that were warm and homely.”

Entering the apartment, one will instantly glimpse two very distinct aspects: the urban jungle to one side and sprawling suburban greenery to the other. “What struck us was the difference in these two experiences,” says Lovell. “And how at the street level, it is busy and dense and there’s a lot going on, but as you come up the elevators, it’s a completely different experience and you are slightly removed from the city.” The renovation opens up the existing footprint, which was characterised by a series of dividing walls that segmented the living spaces and obstructed the potential for panoramic vistas. The new layout consists of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, living and dining zones and a study, with the placement of timber pods, which are intimate zones that house private areas.

The renovation opens up the existing footprint, which was characterised by a series of dividing walls that segmented the living spaces and obstructed the potential for panoramic vistas.

As a result, the procession through Spring Street Apartment is set up as a series of moments; the curved language of the pods softens one’s movements as they make their way through. “The way the pods have been arranged means you follow their curved façade to the north towards the Royal Exhibition Building, before turning the corner into the living space where St Patrick’s Cathedral is in the background,” says Lovell.

Drawing on the concept of chiaroscuro – the use of strong contrasts between light and dark – Lovell Burton masterfully balances the outlook and gives it form. The timber pods act as a series of anchors that open Spring Street Apartment to curated perspectives while concealing the more private zones. In contrast to the lighter, brighter living spaces, “as you enter into the private areas of the pods, you will find they are deeper, darker and broodier and offer a sense of retreat,” says Lovell. “This distinction was important so the clients could entertain but also have their own areas in the apartment that feel intimate and private.”

Drawing on the concept of chiaroscuro – the use of strong contrasts between light and dark – Lovell Burton masterfully balances the outlook and gives it form.

Material choice also draws on contrast with the distinction between hard and soft floor finishes, as well as reductive and more tactile materials, once again creating different zones that feel either intimate or open. In a more practical sense, materials are also heavily informed by the limitations of a very small elevator. “We selected materials with either a small module that could fit within a small passenger lift, or that could be prefabricated off-site and easily assembled and modified on-site,” says Lovell. “We tried to amplify the timber pods by contrasting these with a homogenous palette of neutral tones for the floors, walls and ceiling.”

Artfully creating a play on light was also crucial to the design. “As the apartment gets quite bright, we had to manage the light,” says Lovell. The limewashed hues are not only tactile and warm in contrast to the outer shell of the building, but the subtle shifts in hues and texture also provide a backdrop to enhance the experience and passage of light over the day.

Despite the many changes, subtle nods to the past are evident throughout and are complemented by the client’s eclectic collection of art and furniture.

Despite the many changes, subtle nods to the past are evident throughout and are complemented by the client’s eclectic collection of art and furniture. The hit-and-miss brick motif of the existing brick building is echoed in the pattern and scale of the limestone paving, while the kitchen island and some of the bathroom vanities are formed from burnished brass in reference to the golden hues of the existing metal detailing. “Some of the original postmodern, brushed stainless-steel elements were retained and informed how the inserted pods were detailed,” recalls Lovell.

Reflecting on the project, Lovell is proud of the way the design responded to the existing qualities of the place. “I am also delighted in how the design captures the atmosphere of the place and the spirit which the client wanted to inhabit the apartment,” he adds.

Entering the apartment, one will instantly glimpse two very distinct aspects: the urban jungle to one side and sprawling suburban greenery to the other.

Through simple interventions and considered materiality, Lovell Burton reveals the nuanced ways heritage apartment blocks can be revitalised for contemporary living. A silent observer from above, Spring Street Apartment reminds us of how we can be simultaneously connected while also removed – perhaps the cornerstone of what constitutes a home that is so deeply embedded in the movements of a busy city.

Architecture and interior design by Lovell Burton. Build by Bluline Projects. Joinery by Grange Joinery. Flooring by Eco Outdoor. Benchtop by Artedomus.