A new luxury development in Melbourne designed by Warren and Mahoney takes inspiration from a historic shipwreck located off the city’s affluent bayside suburb of Black Rock.

The luxury apartments pay homage to HMVS Cerberus, a 19th Century naval ship that protected Melbourne and its Port Philip Bay before World War II. The shipwreck now serves as a breakwater and scuba diving hot spot for Black Rock, the site of the new luxury apartments.

The design of Lowe Living’s Lumiere Black Rock apartments, which reflects the coastline’s unique facets, is more than just a tribute to Cerberus; it was a strategic move by Warren and Mahoney to create a design that was grounded in local identity.

With developers aware of the difficulty in securing planning approval in the exclusive bayside area, Lowe Living adopted a different approach by creating a considered and referential design that garnered community support and earned Lumiere quick endorsement from Bayside Council, with zero objections.

The premium development will comprise of luxurious two- and three-bedroom dwellings, featuring curved stone façades; round kitchen islands similar to the curved turrets of a ship; gunmetal tapware and engineered oak floors; and split-face limestone cladding on the second storey and smooth stone walls at street level, mimicking the Red Bluff cliffs above Black Rock beach.

Principal Nick Deans says, “The heart of our design process is an understanding of identity and place, so with every design, we begin by researching the location and community.

“With Lumiere Black Rock, we’ve drawn inspiration from the HMVS Cerberus’s curved geometry. This manifests in the walls that lead you into the building, the leading edge of the balconies and the curved edges on the benchtops.”

Lowe Living managing director Tim Lowe says, “We wanted Lumiere Black Rock to be a true reflection of its breathtaking surroundings. In that, the Lumiere residences embody the Black Rock community, the beautiful coastline and showcase the best of bayside living.”

“We chose to partner with Warren and Mahoney because they bring international expertise and best practices to their work. Our collaboration with Principal Nick Deans allowed us to really bring these six identifiable residences to life. He sought to truly connect with the local landscape and local area to create a design that is grounded in its local identity.”

Lumiere Black Rock apartments, located at 68 Bluff Road, are now available for sale.

Architecture News & Editorial Desk

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