![Book Flatlay Cover Front Transparent Trio[1]](https://d31dpzy4bseog7.cloudfront.net/media/2024/06/07080212/Book_Flatlay_Cover_Front_Transparent_Trio1.png)
A Place of Emotional Resonance – The Melburnian by Edition Office
High-rise buildings such as The Melburnian, an apartment tower in Melbourne’s inner south-east, tend to embody a futurist ideal of modernity – the triumph of the built environment over the natural represented in the impenetrable glass façade protecting an artificial, hyper-controlled atmosphere within. Into this equation, Edition Office has undertaken a process of carefully introducing texture, patina and authenticity, transforming an existing soulless apartment into a place of emotional resonance.
The original apartment was typical of its class, with an abundance of glass and plasterboard and an awkwardly conceived plan. The materiality, or lack thereof, rendered the spaces inert, the sheer quantity of glass offered no control over natural light, and the plan tried to insert rectilinear volumes against the sweeping arc of the outer wall of the building, entirely at odds with this generous curve that was one of the apartment’s better qualities. For architects whose design process rests on “responding to the nature of a place or considering establishing an alternate condition, as constructed call and response,” working within this constrained context of an established apartment building initially posed something of a challenge, explains Aaron Roberts, co-founder of Edition Office.
Yet a careful site analysis revealed “the same yearning for the human comforts of patina, acquired age and textural maturity,” he says, that lies as a basis for their other work. Operating from this observation, Edition Office sought to create “a counterpoint to the textural aloofness of the existing building, to bring authentic and robust materiality into a space that exists outside the realms of material decay and weathering.” With this approach, light, form, space and materiality take on a symbiotic relationship in the new incarnation of the apartment.
“We were interested in a new formal language which could enable a softening and grading of light,” Aaron reflects. Through the removal of the original linear elements that divided the plan, the space was reunified, and into this, a series of “elemental forms” placed. These contain the core functional and storage requirements and redefine the circulation through the apartment such that “movement through the space becomes a fluid sensorial delight,” he says. With these curved forms both moderating and mediating the abundance of light and framing particular views and existing structure, light and shadow are invited to “drift and smear around corners and to allow for a home that has too much natural daylight to provide the sanctuary of shadow and the textural delight that comes with it.”
Edition Office specified ZETR 13_series recessed flush trim-less electrical outlets and switches throughout the apartment.
Materiality is key to how these forms and the resulting spaces are experienced. Edition Office introduced a palette of materials as close to their natural state as possible and with limited industrial refinement. “Materials with robust inherent texture were utilised in a way to enable a sense of softness, both to the touch and also in the way they collected light,” Aaron says. “The sheltered spaces within these enigmatic timber forms are carved out to reveal seemingly eroded stone interiors, further softened with finely detailed leather elements and the universal and ever-present views of the Royal Botanical Gardens.”
Within this highly considered environment, even the most practical of details needed to be given due attention. Edition Office specified ZETR 13_series recessed flush trim-less electrical outlets and switches throughout the apartment. “The formal language, the curves of the ZETR range, and the ability to finish the product flush with the wall were key factors in the decision to specify the product,” says Aaron. While the utterly minimalist nature of the ZETR outlets and switches ensures they do not interrupt the materials they are set within, it is not only a matter of their being as recessive as possible, hiding what is one of the more prosaic elements of an interior. Rather, the design of the products is itself so highly considered that it elevates the humble power outlet and switch to create something that is a beautiful piece of design in its own right.
“The formal language, the curves of the ZETR range, and the ability to finish the product flush with the wall were key factors in the decision to specify the product,” says Aaron.
As Aaron explains, the products are “well designed and high quality, offering an alternative to a product which has become somewhat standardised over the years.” Additionally, he reflects that “the company was great to work with, including adjusting certain elements for bespoke solutions to certain switching requirements.” For ZETR founder Garth Elliott, The Melburnian “feels like the destined project spec for our ZETR 13_series trim-less range, using curvature and a matte palette to trick the eye and enhance the flow and balance of the space.” It was also an opportunity to make the most of the functionality of the product. “There were a number of technical requirements for the electrical functionality of the installation, ranging from tight mounting locations to integration with Bang & Olufsen sound systems,” he explains. “We gain a lot from each push to innovate the current industry standard. Each project of this scale and quality leaves us with a clear motivation to adapt, increase our product offering and to provide as many variations of our range as possible.”
Between the advanced technology, which includes a high degree of integrated automation, employed throughout the apartment and the raw, natural materiality and organic formal language of the design, The Melburnian strikes an unconventional balance. It is a balance that perhaps reflects the clients’ equally unconventional aspirations, seeking to create a tranquil space of retreat on the one hand and, on the other, a place that would challenge and inspire them. “They requested something to amplify their eccentricities, unconstrained by the existing rigid plasterboard recto-linearity, and facilitate how they live as individuals and as a couple,” Aaron says. “The design response is inherently simple, refined and calming – which restores and creates freedom. So, a sanctuary for rest and recharging, but also a space which challenges the mind to perform.”
With the insertion of a series of elemental forms and equally fluid transitions throughout the apartment, a careful approach to light, and a focus on authentic, tactile materials, Edition Office has not so much counteracted or outright rejected the artificiality of the original building as proposed a more nuanced, enriched vision for high-rise apartment living. Taking a less literal, more sensitive interpretation on a hitherto highly rigid, unimaginative typology is something the architects see as not only relevant to their clients but to the adaptability and sustainability of our cities. “There are many ageing yet well-built residential towers across the globe that are often seen as lacking in [their] experiential qualities,” reflects Aaron. “The adaptive re-use of existing infrastructure to suit changing needs of users can mitigate some of the burden of new construction and must be a component of reducing the cycle of the demolition and re-construction of entire new buildings. From a cost-benefit and sustainability perspective, the project set aside the substantial costs in creating a new home from scratch.”
Considered in such terms, it is clear that The Melburnian goes far beyond a mere cosmetic renovation: it is wholly transmuted. As a blueprint for urban high-rise apartment living, it is both intuitive and deliberate, raw yet refined. And as a home, it is at once calming and challenging, a quality that evokes an optimistic sense of almost limitless possibility.
