Dezeen Magazine

Sculptural staircase twists through loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore Architects

A sweeping, sculptural staircase extends through the centre of this monochrome inner-city loft apartment in Melbourne, Australia, by Adrian Amore Architects.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

Adrian Amore Architects renovated the apartment interior for an investor to create a stark, modern space.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

The building was originally used as a butter factory and converted into apartments in the 1990s. The architects removed a steel truss through the centre of the space and replaced the roof to make room for additional bedrooms.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

Adrian Amore told Dezeen the twisted staircase, that is made from steel and covered with plywood and plaster, was constructed and tested on site.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

"I wanted to dramatise the form of the stair, to give it more movement than a conventional circular stair, almost as though it had been pulled or stretched at its mid point," Amore explained.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

"This was challenging to build, to distribute the loads evenly, as the stair naturally wanted to flex at at its mid point, and so we were worried about it bouncing," he added.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

The stair treads are covered in a dark-stained hardwood.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

The ground floor features a bathroom, laundry and pantry space are concealed behind more curving plaster walls. The kitchen, living room, dining room and studio are all open-plan.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

Grey marble covers benches and splash backs, while low-hanging lights are fixed above the kitchen table, which is also covered with marble.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

Sliding doors between the downstairs areas also mean the space can be separated or left open for entertaining.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

A pair of bedrooms upstairs sit across from a bathroom and another large studio space, while a wooden roof deck offers views over the city.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

Photography is by Fraser Marsden.

Here's a project description from Adrian Amore:


Loft Apartment, West Melbourne, Australia

Walls tear, bend and converge in this sleek loft apartment interior housed in a former butter factory, in West Melbourne, Australia, by architect Adrian Amore.

Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore

A sculptural stair sits at the converging point in the space, twisting dramatically, and soaring up towards a recreational roof deck which overlooks the city of Melbourne.

Ground floor plan of Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore
Ground floor plan - click for larger image

The original apartment contained a steel truss which sliced through its centre, polarising, and its removal, together with the removal of the existing roof generated accessible space for addition bedrooms.

A monochrome palate of white on white with charcoal and black, plays with the abundant natural light which is drawn in from the large north facing windows and ceiling void.

First floor plan of Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore
First floor plan - click for larger image

An essentially open ground floor plan is defined by bending, wrapping walls which contain a bathroom, laundry and storage spaces.

Sliding doors further create the opportunity for expanding or containing, depending on how the ground floor space is used, whether it be as a studio, bedroom or for entertaining.

Roof plan of Loft apartment in Melbourne by Adrian Amore
Roof plan - click for larger image