Small Grand Apartment, Melbourne Residential Interior, Australian Home, Architecture Images

Small Grand Apartment in Melbourne

18 Sep 2020

Small Grand Apartment

Architects: tsai Design

Location: Grand Hotel Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The Small Grand Apartment project progresses small footprint architecture as both generous and achievable through smart planning, clever storage and enriched spatial experience.

Small Ground Apartment is a renovation of a 50 sqm studio apartment inside the Grand Hotel Melbourne.

The existing condition of the apartment starkly contrasted to the grand civic presentation of this former Victorian Railways headquarters. From the welcoming central foyer and corridor, arrival into the apartment was surprisingly dark. The corridor-like entry led to a kitchen tucked away in an even darker corner.

Our client wanted a minimalist open plan apartment, with upgraded kitchen and bathroom, and space-saving transforming furniture where possible. We set out to custom design a home for both single occupant – and her beloved feline companion! – and a couple, if required.

Our challenge was to transform a small space into a spacious home enjoying the grandeur of the building and central foyer. Our first move was to excise the half height partition wall that defined the bedroom, creating a generous open plan living environment embracing the existing high ceiling. We pushed the built-in joinery to the edges of the room to create an L shaped kitchen. A built in TV credenza combines dining and window seating to increase perceptions of spatial volume.

With countless eateries on the doorstep, our client wanted a kitchenette instead of a traditional kitchen. To achieve this, we separated the full height fridge and pantry units into the hallway allowing us to create clear, clean lines. Over 8m of continuous benchtop continues into the bathroom behind a hidden door. To enhance sense of space we played with the proportions of the kitchenette by exaggerating the kicker and wrapping up the timber floor. The slender kitchen joinery profile now appears light and effortless while still addressing the intensities of the required domestic program.

We custom designed the dining table for the apartment. The Drop Leaf Table is an elegant folding table for two that expands into a dining table for six or more people when required.

One of the most challenging spaces we had to resolve was the tiny windowless kitchen. We reconfigured this into the hero of the apartment, a luxurious walk-in robe and bedroom – all pocket sized. Through careful planning we included a full-size walk-in robe with full height mirror, evoking classic Hollywood dressing rooms. The mirror folds down to reveal a queen size Murphy Bed. The main wardrobe is accessible with the bed open or tucked away, giving our client complete flexibility (it’s ok to be lazy sometimes!). Customisable shelving alcoves either side of the bed head provide perfect access for book and bedding storage and reading lights, and a sense of spaciousness in what could have been a too-tight environment.

This timber clad room is crowned with an elegant timber vault embracing the existing arch of the doorway to create a cosy, warm timber nook – at once part of the now bright and welcoming open plan living, yet intimate and enclosed. This variety of spatial experience in such a small environment demonstrates living generously in a small footprint.