Luna Apartments, Melbourne Apartments, Australia Residential Development, Australian Architecture
Luna Apartments, Melbourne
Australian Residential Building – design by Elenberg Fraser
28 May 2013
Luna Residential Building
Design: Elenberg Fraser
Location: St. Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Luna Apartments Melbourne
image from architect
It has inspired a dedicated fan web-site, generations of fancy-dress costumes and countless YouTube tribute videos, and now a building. That’s right, Luna, Elenberg Fraser’s new four storey residential project on Barkly St, St Kilda, is based on Princess Leia’s infamous ‘dancing girl’ gold bikini, featured in Star Wars, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. While Luna’s curvaceous form echoes the draping lines of Leia’s usual white robes, the shimmering gold glass and metal mesh materials are matched perfectly with the colours and textures of the gold brassiere.
image from architect
The kinky scene gave audiences the answer to their poignant question: what is Leia hiding under her robes? Luna was the answer to the ongoing conundrum of apartment life – how do you retain privacy, keep your lights on and still enjoy the view? And like Leia, who overcame the indignation and humiliation of being enslaved as Jabba the Hutt’s dancing girl through her inner strength – Luna is not just a pretty face.
image from architect
To address privacy, light and visibility issues, we designed an operable shutter system, which surrounds the entire building, protecting the interior and housing a series of lights, which offer residents ultimate control over not only what they see, but what others can see of them! Switching the inside lights on reflects the interior of the apartment onto the windows, and people outside can see in, however leaving the outside lights on illuminates the interior, turning the windows transparent, and people outside are prevented from seeing in by the reflection of the lights on the glass.
images from architect
Whether you’re pro-voyeurism or anti-exhibitionism, at Luna, you can rest assured that people will only be able to see what you let them!
Besides the curvy form, revolutionary lighting system and flesh and bronze façade, Luna is also Elenberg Fraser’s first completed wayfinding and signage project for multi-residential apartments. A red Sith Lightsaber stands guard like a sentinel at Luna’s front entrance, and the red light carries through to the retail arcade directing you to the apartments above. White LED light battens are used in the lobby and throughout the ground floor; we created a dot-dash numbering system to identify the apartments.
Luna Apartments Melbourne images / information from Elenberg Fraser
Location: St. Kilda, Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Architecture in Melbourne
Melbourne Architecture Designs – chronological list
Melbourne Architect – design studio listings
Uno Tower, 111-125 A’Beckett St, located in Melbourne’s CBD is a 65 storey mixed use development.
Design: Elenberg Fraser
images : Binyan Studios, Pointilism and Lucernal
Uno Tower
Heart of St Kilda
Design: Perversi-Brooks Architects
image : Sam Perversi-Brooks
Heart of St Kilda
Lyon Housemuseum, Kew
Lyons
Lyon Housemuseum
ANZ Centre
HASSELL architects
ANZ Centre Melbourne
Comments / photos for Luna Apartments – Melbourne Residential Architecture page welcome