Stephen Collier Architects transformed a 70 m2 apartment in architect Harry Seidler’s 42 storey The Horizon building.
It went from a one bedroom to a two bedroom by making better use of space.
It does this by reconfiguring and better utilising space that what was previously only used for circulation.
The kitchen, laundry, and bathroom were also shrunk in size.
They are now no bigger than what is functionally needed.
The new plan opened up the bathroom to views, natural light, and ventilation.
The lack of these three things in most apartment buildings, with their dark enclosed bathrooms and mechanical ventilation, is something many designers inexplicably overlook.
Stephen Collier Architects are always looking for ways to improve the design of apartments so this project was a further exploration of their obsession with this worthy goal.
The Horizon Apartment can be made into one big room, for a single occupant or a couple.
Or it can be closed down, using movable walls, to create separate bedrooms in one of two ways: as a one bedroom with a generous living area or as a two bedroom with a smaller, but still practical and comfortably proportioned living area.
Both bedrooms and living area have plenty of natural light and air.
The arrangement of furniture is loose and variable, allowing the dining area to work equally well at both the centre of the apartment and at the outer edge.
Ample storage for everything from shoes to dirty laundry and audio-visual equipment is also provided.
Project Details
Project Size – 70 m2
Completion Date – 2014
Building Levels – 1
Project Team
Architecture
Stephen Collier Architects
Established in 2005 by Stephen Collier, Stephen Collier Architects is a prestigious design-led practice that operates with a keen regard for human-scale and proportion, light and form.
Photography
Peter Bennetts
Peter’s work regularly features in the Australian publications Architecture Australia, Artichoke, Belle, Inside, AR, Monument, inside, and Vogue.
He is a frequent contributor to Wallpaper, Frame, Mark, Dwell, Domus, Casabella, and other international publications too.
Photo Gallery
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Design © 2021 Stephen Collier Architects. All Rights Reserved.| Images © 2021 Peter Bennetts. All Rights Reserved.
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