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To transform the lobby of the 321X office tower on Exhibition Street in Melbourne’s CBD, award-winning architecture and interior design studio Carr looked to the nearby Carlton Gardens for inspiration. Designed for the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880-1881, the heritage-listed gardens have been an oasis of measured calm for generations of Melburnians and informed the organic contours, lush greenery and natural materiality of the reimagined space.
Passing through new revolving doors, crucial to traffic flow, visitors encounter organic forms like expansive timber battens and lights resembling glowing flowers that are scattered throughout the garden beds. Vertical mirrors serve multiple purposes: amplifying natural light, working to enlarge the space and reflecting the external and internal greenery. Mimicking the random nature of Carlton Gardens, there’s no set circulation route, rather ‘intuitive wayfinding’, with multiple paths leading to the cafe, lifts and shared amenities.
Integral to the lobby’s natural materiality is RMS Traders’ Peperino Grigio Italian Bluestone, a hard-wearing European basalt with a grey mottled-like finish and natural spotting throughout the stone. “Carr came to us with an idea of what they wanted for the space but not a specific stone in mind,” says RMS Traders director Shaun Palkhiwala.
“We then presented them with options that closely matched their design requirements. Ultimately, they based their decision on which stone best suited high-traffic areas and was easy to maintain.”
Vertical mirrors serve multiple purposes: amplifying natural light, working to enlarge the space and reflecting the external and internal greenery.
As well as anchoring the entire lobby, Peperino Grigio has been used to dramatic effect in custom vertical panels that wrap the concierge desk. The motif is repeated, albeit on a smaller scale, in the new cafe space, where short vertical panels form the robust base to undulating tan leather banquettes, the perfect spot for a pre-work espresso or business meeting. The curved forms of Solo chairs by Studio Nitzan Cohen for Mattiazzi reinforce the space’s organic bones.
“I think the Peperino Grigio was an inspired choice for the 321X lobby,” comments Shaun. “When stone is used in high-traffic areas, architects and designers must consider factors like durability, slip resistance, maintenance and, of course, aesthetic appeal. Bluestone is quite hard-wearing and is one of the most versatile stones used in commercial and residential projects.”
Integral to the lobby’s natural materiality is RMS Traders’ Peperino Grigio Italian Bluestone, a hard-wearing European basalt with a grey mottled-like finish and natural spotting throughout the stone.
Since it was established in 1984, RMS Traders has been working in partnership with the architecture and design community, dedicated to providing a peerless range of stone for high-end architectural projects. Building these relationships has been a core tenet of the business.
“Relationships develop by working together in partnership and consistently working with the client to produce the best result for their project,” says Shaun. “These relationships are maintained by constant communication and flexibility, working with the architect and designer to meet their expectations as well as keeping them up to date with current and upcoming materials.”
Architecture and interior design by Carr. Stone by RMS Traders.
As well as anchoring the entire lobby, Peperino Grigio has been used to dramatic effect in custom vertical panels that wrap the concierge desk.
