VANTAGE POINT [Melbourne]

Interior designer Studio Tate

TACKLING TRICKY HEIGHT and space obstacles, and opening up this penthouse to expansive views of the city, gardens, sky and bay, Studio Tate interior architecture associate Liz Ride says she’s “extremely proud of the outcome and how our team intelligently worked together”. What was the brief? Our clients purchased the penthouse within The Melburnian apartment complex on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, seeking a space to better reflect their changing lifestyle and aesthetic sensibilities. What were the challenges of the space and how did you resolve them? The apartment was punctured by existing services risers and structural columns.

When revising the floor plan, we were able to integrate certain elements within joinery or conceal them within new walls. Also, the extremely low ceiling heights in the corridor and kitchen resulted in squat-looking joinery and a compressed sense of space. Through strategic manipulation we were able to gain significant height in these areas which dramatically impacted the overall volume. How would you describe the completed interior? The penthouse’s orientation was pivotal. Positioned on the far eastern end of the complex, it has 360-degree views of the city, Royal Botanic Gardens and Port Phillip Bay, and our clients desired to maximise each vantage point. We proposed a calm, pared-back aesthetic that did not compete with the views.