When architect Nic Morgante was hired to renovate this Parkville home in the Park Avenue Towers building, the apartment consisted of a series of simple white rooms.
“Although the building is not extensively documented, its late modernist character is immediately recognizable in the pronounced horizontal concrete facade,” says Nic.
“This structural surround wraps around the window sill and serves as the interior window sill height around the home.”
But inside, the three-bedroom house was clad in white plasterboard and laminate and littered with worn gold knobs and fittings. All of the decades-old finishes and fixtures needed a refresh, and despite the apartment's enviable parkland views, the kitchen was isolated from the rest of the floor plan.
The clients brief was for Nic to transform the 150 square meter home into an ideal city apartment, envisioning a space around the kitchen that could accommodate the best aspects of inner-city family life.
“Cooking and entertaining are a big part of their lives, so they provide workspace and connections to the living area.” [area] “It was a priority to simultaneously capitalize on the existing views of the surrounding parkland,” adds Nic.
The renovation was limited by the structural columns and existing plumbing, which became “immovable anchors” for the new interiors. As a result, the transformation came down to a series of small and impactful updates.
Moving the kitchen to the east freed up space for a new pantry and linen closet. Walls were removed; and a large, leather-covered granite island bench became the new focal point of the open living spaces.
“I wanted to acknowledge the renovation.” [the building’s] “We inspired the era without literally recreating it, so the interior design avoids unnecessary embellishments,” says Nic. “The palette was chosen to create a soft but robust background for everyday life, with pale colors that do not compete too much with the distant green of the surrounding treetops.”
Bespoke stainless steel elements are combined with glossy tiles, ensuring natural light is reflected throughout, whilst oak joinery provides a sense of warmth – a subtle counterpoint to the building's rigid external shell.
“The corner dining banquet is a quiet, recessed space, yet has generous views to the east and north of the countryside,” adds Nic.
Now the apartment features new views between the existing columns to create a “layered experience” of the building’s location, nestled between two of Melbourne’s most beautiful parklands.
The renovated house exudes an understated elegance, and even better: this was achieved without a single major structural change.