Ikebana, Victoria Building, Melbourne Retail and Apartments, Australian Mixed-Use Architecture, Images
Ikebana in Melbourne
Residential and Retail Project in Victoria, Australia ? design by Elenberg Fraser, Architects
6 Nov 2017
Melbourne Development
Architects: Elenberg Fraser
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Ikebana Development

Part of our ongoing Western occupation, Ikebana?s name gives you a hint at the story behind this new residential and retail project in West Melbourne. Yes it?s Japanese-inspired, but without the cliché ? you won?t find any Hello Kitty here (although we can promise a karaoke room). Instead, we took the concepts behind the fêted Japanese aesthetic as our point of departure for the architecture ? an attention to (nano) detail and dedication to hand-made traditions is set against a natural, formal backdrop.
Built around courtyards that evoke the intense reflection of the famous Japanese rock gardens, and the ability to blend outdoor space with indoor ? these central spaces offer respite from the urban surrounds, a place for contemplation. The apartments themselves are broken up into several smaller buildings, cascading down the site.

The façade appears as pieces of hand torn paper, the organic randomness providing a counterpoint to the harder edges of the materials. Privacy is offered via screened glazing with a customised, baked-on ceramic frit ? the delicacy of the pattern offering another moment of pleasure in design. Retail tenan...