Spaced Out

October 20th, 2014

With Australia’s expanse of space, there is a tendency to build out, rather than up. While not established to the extent of Europe, where designing small spaces is second nature, creating space-efficient, sustainable dwellings is becoming more and more common here.

Taking the trend of the flex apartment to the next level is the new convertible apartment product, developed by Hamton and designed by Rothelowman.

The collaboration sees the creation of a genuine innovation in the development and design of apartments. The ‘Convertible Spaces’ apartments, on offer first at the luxury ‘Sanctuary on the River’ development in Abbotsford, are a one-bedroom model for which the bedroom space becomes a living space as required.

The incorporation of flexible zoning – where functional areas like corridors become usable in living and bedroom areas and features like doors play different roles in changing layouts – means space is utilised to its full extent at any one time. The result is a 70% increase in living area.

Hayton says that incorporating certain design features has let them greatly increase effective floor space, “by including a fold-down bed and moveable wall we add several metres to the apartment and offer occupiers an enormous amount of flexibility.”

The wall of integrated joinery that comprises a TV unit, kitchen with integrated fridge, bedroom robes with integrated bedside tables and a pull-down queen sized bed “transforms the apartment” but is also a beautiful joinery unit, continuing the Scandinavian theme throughout the apartment. Function and aesthetics certainly meet in this design, a clear leaf from the sophisticated level of small space design in Europe. The project shows a promising future for the design of apartments in Australia.

Rothelowman
Rothelowman.com.au

Hamton
Hamton.com.au

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