Loller Street Apartments in Melbourne comprise six different dwellings, foremost of which is the extravagant penthouse spanning the upper level of this three-storey building. To start with the building itself, designed by architect Telha Clarke, it’s clear that a language of modernist geometry has shaped the broad outlines of the project as a whole. Its clean, weighty, structural lines create a strong presence from the outside, and they set the tone for a certain minimalism that Mim Design has carried through into the thoughtful interiors.

“Modernist architects and designers such as Mies Van De Rohe and Le Corbusier have been referenced for the interiors, which adopt a ‘less is more’ approach to reveal essential elements: clean lines, meaningful floor plans and minimalist design,” says founder, Miriam (Mim) Fanning.

Senior Interior Designer, Gemma Dare, adds that “each generously proportioned apartment has been individually designed to honour internal aspect, flow, ventilation, natural light and views. From the entry corridors, the interconnected living, kitchen and dining spaces create a gallery-like thoroughfare that extends outwards through full-height corner glazing. Spaces exude calm through coastal-inspired materials, a maximisation of light, views and sea breeze through wrap-around windows and landscaped balconies.”

The explanation here brings in the other crucial factor shaping the project as a whole: its coastal setting. As the designers note, this has influenced the atmosphere of the homes in terms of materiality, outlook and natural light, as well as an abundance of outdoor space. More conceptually, these coastal influences form an intriguing juxtaposition with the modernist geometry – the opposite approach to adding a bunch of random curves on the spurious basis that they are inspired by the organic shapes of the seaside. Instead, Loller Street Apartments less-is-more approach allows the natural qualities of the site to shine on their own terms.

Related: Seamlessly setting the scene for Australian art and design

Material choices are a particularly important factor. They include striking usage of natural stone in the kitchen setting, where monolithic Taj Mahal stone kitchen island slabs rest on single chrome columns in something of an homage to past modernist masters. Then there are the exaggerated splashbacks, timber cabinetry and hanging pendants as well as integrated Gaggenau fixtures. Elsewhere, wool and French oak feature, while refined detailing in general is ever-present.

 “The large living and dining areas have custom designed stone-tiled fireplaces sit on matching stone plinths, framed by minimalist display shelving,” says Mim. “Sheer floor-to-ceiling curtains soften the hard surfaces and complete this luxurious space. Subtly textured, earthy plastered feature walls – also in the kitchen – enhance the tonal material palette and keep the interiors light.”

Bespoke wine cellars make use of glass and stone to add further touches of luxury. Balconies, however, provide an outdoor focal point, generously sized and designed to bring light and garden views indoors. They also balance privacy, while the bedrooms feature soft drapes, wool carpeting, upholstered bedheads and warm timber cabinetry with sculptural door handles. Finally, the bathrooms round off the sensitive use of materials and textures throughout with their handmade ceramic tiles and natural stone flooring.

Loller Street Apartments provide internal variety amidst a high level of refinement and material restraint. Balancing luxury and seclusion, they achieve this thanks to the complementary interiors and exterior as well as the ever-inspiring tension between a rationalistic, modernist geometry and natural coastal setting.

Mim Design
mimdesign.com.au

Telha Clark
telhaclarke.com.au

Paul Bangay
paulbangay.com

Photography
Timothy Kaye