Pier Penthouse is a renovation project of a two-level penthouse apartment on Port Melbourne’s shoreline.
Molecule Studio’s brief was to create a unique and functional home that celebrated its maritime outlook and elegantly accommodated the functional requirements of everyday life.
But it needed to cater for moments of decadence and entertainment too.
The important initial design response was the insertion of a rational planning approach to clarify the relationship between the functional spaces and the curvilinear building façade.
Molecule Studio worked to organise circulation paths and create view axes which would recompose the interior as an unfolding series of immersive spaces.
A focus on lifestyle ergonomics drove the programmatic brief: the rhomboidal joinery island in chiselled slices of timber and granite acts as a fulcrum between the kitchen and bar nearby – a nod to the marriage of food and beverage – while a new scullery is tucked out of view, allowing visible kitchen surfaces to remain pristine and presentable.
Composing a fresh suite of finishes enabled a transformation of the existing bright white palette into a new distinctive and urbane backdrop.
Our palette of matte, moody textures (including chalky grey walls and inky charcoal floors) anchor the interior against the wash of southern light through the full height glazed façade.
On the entry level, a wall-height ‘ribbon’ of textured grey boards traces the perimeter of the living spaces, providing visual weight while establishing a strong horizontal datum that resolves the existing stepped ceiling profile.
Leading upstairs to the two bedroom suites is a dramatic charcoal painted stair void topped with a commissioned pink and red neon artwork, ‘Corrected Horizon’ by Sydney-based artist Brendan Van Hek.
Colour and detail in art and an abundance of indoor plants punctuate the strictly monochrome fitout and fabric palette.
Working to optimise the transformative effect of design changes while minimising cost, Molecule’s focus became the reuse of existing building fabric: tiles were laid over existing flooring, mechanical services were reused, plumbing points were maintained, and existing ceilings retained.
A focus on key spatial moves and the new, immersive palette allowed for a wholesale transformation of the penthouse’s atmosphere, an increased sense of space, and an environment befitting the clients’ global sensibility.
Project Details
Project Size – 190 m2
Completion Date – 2019
Building Levels – 2
Project Team
Architecture and Interiors
Molecule Studio
Molecule Studio is an architecture and design practice formed in 2010 and led by husband and wife team, Richard Fleming and Anja de Spa.
The two co-directors personally design and document every project to ensure that the client briefing and concept direction is executed to the highest level.
The name of the studio, Molecule, is emblematic of the practice’s ethos.
It represents the bond formed between the client, architect, and builder with the exclusive intention of creating a one-off commission – the project.
Each bespoke project is the creation of holistic and distinctive spaces which involves the blurring of the traditional boundaries of architecture, interior design, and landscape design into a singular offering…one concept with multiple influences.
Construction
ProvanBuilt
ProvanBuilt is a small boutique building company based in Melbourne. They provide both general construction contracting and project/construction management services.
Photography
Derek Swalwell
Derek is an architectural and editorial photographer from Melbourne, Australia. His name is synonymous with the photographic representation of the architectural landscape in Australia and beyond.
Photo Gallery
Click on a thumbnail image to enlarge.
Design © 2021 Molecule Studio. All Rights Reserved.| Images © 2021 Derek Swalwell. All Rights Reserved.
Get the Builtworks Letter
In every edition of the Builtworks Letter, you’ll get the behind-the-scenes backstory as to how buildings, structures, and places are designed, built, and brought to life.
You’ll hear compelling stories, learn surprising ideas, meet engaging characters, and discover unique voices.