Otway Apartment

by Molecule

The Otway Apartment is the renovation of a two-bedroom ground level apartment in an Art Deco 1930s block in Hawthorn named Otway.

The existing apartment interior was in desperate need of a contemporary makeover; the 1990s era cream and yellow palette was dated and tired, the spaces suffered from a surplus of circulation routes and there was little to no storage or functional bench space in the kitchen and bathroom.

Our design philosophy when responding to heritage conditions is to design new insertions with a respect of, rather than replication of the past. We seek to remove any poorly performing earlier renovations and celebrate the original details, mouldings, grooves and chamfers that give the space provenance.

The new design work spatially separates the Kitchen from the front entry to create a destination rather than a thoroughfare. This separation was achieved by building a new joinery cupboard within an existing doorway, a design element that could be removed in the future to restore the original opening should the clients’ use of the space change. The new separation of spaces serves to isolate the Kitchen noise and smells from the sleeping quarters. To keep costs down, the existing timber flooring and plumbing points in the Kitchen were re-used.

The formal approach in the Kitchen is the creation of a series of functional joinery ‘stations’ each with its own designated use, including breakfast, appliance, wash and cooking. There are subtle references to the existing Art Deco details in the curves, chamfers and rebates within the new joinery language. A freestanding cooker utilises the original hearth and chimney, with a contemporary update of tiled lining and an integrated rangehood.

The new Bathroom and Laundry is a compact and hard-working room which balances functionality and material richness in equal measure. The Bathroom space compartmentalises the shower space, toilet niche and vanity to create distinct areas. The fluted glass shower screen allows for increased privacy and potential for simultaneous use of the space during a busy morning. The Laundry cupboard conceals a stacked washing machine and dryer with a laundry bench – predominately hidden by a full-height bi-fold door.

The apartment is treated with a consistent palette of materials, fittings and joinery detailing put emphasis on quality and longevity. The united material approach brings a holistic sense of calm to the whole space and a rich backdrop to the clients’ extensive furniture and artwork collection. The new materials draw inspiration from and celebrate the rich tones of rosewood in the mid-century furniture and the soft green tones in a treasured photograph by Brooke Holm.

The client has family history within the ceramics industry, and this heritage was refenced with the selection of glazed ceramic wall tiles and a handmade ceramic hand basin by Tasmanian ceramicist, Lindsey Wherrett.

The small-scale renovation works are carefully detailed to be as highly valued as the building shell, and just as hard wearing. The rich textures of terrazzo slab, ceramic tile, fluted glass, tonal laminate, dark bronze and ironbark timber veneer create embedded a tactile quality to the contact surfaces. Bronze fittings and door hardware are unlacquered and will patina over time, telling the story of occupation by the current owners and custodians of the apartment.