Cox Architecture has completed Melbourne’s latest contemporary multi-residential development, ILK, which is located on the former ANZ site in South Yarra.
Deveoped by Little Projects and constructed by Hickory Group, the project spans 24 floors as a response to the immediate streetscapes of the Forrest Hill precinct, but at the street level, the apartments only seem a few storeys tall.
The building’s south podium offers an intimate introduction to the main building that adjoins at the rear, while the base is dedicated to retail opportunities.
Featuring a combination of contrasting yet beautifully paired materials, the façade uses pre-cast concrete, timber, zinc, tinted glass and steel. Together, these materials ensure the building will age beautifully.
“We wanted to create a classic building, one that still fits in with the street and surrounds in thirty years,” says Cox Architecture Director, Patrick Ness.
“You cannot separate ILK from its location; it’s meant to be here and wouldn’t work in any other area.”
ILK offers bespoke one- and two-bedroom apartments with balconies, as well as three-bedroom penthouses with views of Melbourne’s city skyline, the bay and beyond.
Within each apartment, occupants have access to a dedicated balcony or courtyard for private entertaining. Four simple colour palettes were offered to buyers to encourage an injection of individual personalities.
A key aspect of the apartment's design is its urban village feel, which works to encourage resident interaction.
For instance, the podium on level nine is a gateway for community interaction, where residents can enjoy an expansive outdoor area landscaped by Tract Consultants, and complete with a teppanyaki bar, picnic area and cinema room.
Other shared facilities include a lounge, a private dining area that comes with a kitchen, a gym and 20 metre swimming pool, and an elevated garden.
Featuring two entrances, the lobbies in each tower are finished with bespoke seating, customised joinery units that house the resident’s mail boxes, lighting and feature walls.
“ILK offers residents a true extension to the existing parameters of their apartment – not only can they enjoy the best lifestyle within South Yarra but they can do so much more without needing to leave the building," says Ness.
