Melbourne’s Revolutionary 1960s Apartment Building

Design and style industry experts Nathan Ruttner, interior designer at Hecker Guthrie and Melinda Ruttner, textile salesperson at Kvadrat Maharam, have extensive appreciated the architecture of South Yarra’s Domain Park.

The 20-storey residential setting up was formulated by Lendlease, intended by Robin Boyd (1919-1971), and done in 1962. Currently an influential architect at the time, the creating grew to become Boyd’s most visible do the job, and just one of couple multi-household jobs in his portfolio. The project style and design was affected by the 1957 Walter Gropius Home in Berlin featuring a reinforced concrete skeleton and box-like simplicity. 

Nathan and Melinda have been searching for a residence shut to their family members prior to acquiring their initial child, when they arrived across a Area Park apartment to hire. Prospects to dwell in the setting up are scarce, with residences rarely marketed, and even much less provided for lease, so Nathan and Melinda jumped at the possibility. 

‘The proportions of the interiors really feel very generous for a two bedroom condominium. Each and every home has its possess window and there is a perspective outward to the sky and trees,’ suggests Melinda. ‘We have lived in other apartments, [but] this one has the profit of a entire width of the developing, indicating we have all-natural mild all over the early morning to the afternoon and evenings.’ 

Nathan and Melinda love Area Park’s mid-century options including the customised vibrant joinery and retro kitchen area with a servery window in their possess apartment. ‘Every time we stroll by means of the entry lobby, we are transported in time to the ‘60s,’ suggests Melinda. 

Even renovated apartments in Area Park are sympathetic to the primary 1960s interiors, these types of as the just lately finished project by architects S&K Team. Director Paul Kegen describes the South Yarra creating as ‘an legendary Melbourne architectural masterpiece,’ inspiring only sympathetic alterations. ‘The style desired to be neutral and pared back again, offer warmth, and embrace the unbelievable uninterrupted sights of the town above the top of the Royal Botanical Gardens,’ states Paul. 

S&K Group targeted on opening up the kitchen and residing spaces introducing a residence place of work and consolidating the earlier individual laundry, powder home and shower into 1 practical place. Timber veneer and porcelain are elevated by organic stone, leather-based, and bronze, although the monolithic form of the wider concrete developing is reflected in the kitchen area island bench. 

60 yrs on from its primary completion, Domain Park proceeds to stand tall as a landmark of South Yarra’s Domain region. Boyd was unapologetic in creating a at ease constructing very first and foremost, making certain minimal sound in between flooring, north-going through living regions in each individual apartment, and the inclusion of present day features these kinds of as air conditioning.

Inhabitants get pleasure from some of the finest views in Melbourne, from a revolutionary building that has stood the take a look at of time.