Hawthorn Bond is a striking new multi-residential building in Hawthorn, Melbourne. Designed by architects One Design Office (ODO) for Shine Corp, and built by Method Constructions, the building, which comprises of 31 apartments and two retail tenancies, brings affordable living to the affluent suburb.

Considered by Melburnians as a very desirable place to live in, Hawthorn features tree-lined streets, spacious parks, numerous restaurants, great transport links, and a location that’s just 6km from the CBD.

Though houses here do come with a steep price tag – the median house being over $1.5 million – but the new development, Hawthorn Bond has made the area much more accessible with an affordable price tag. However, every apartment in the building epitomises modern, luxurious living.

Clever use of brick on the Hawthorn Bond development strikes a neat balance between the modern building and the area’s heritage context. The building’s name ‘Hawthorn Bond’, references the bricklaying technique used in the development.

ODO’s design of a contemporary structure simultaneously pays homage to Hawthorn’s rich industrial heritage through its brick facade. The brickwork references Hawthorn’s brickmaking history and unique soil composition, while presenting the building as an element of the existing streetscape so that the structure sits harmoniously within its surroundings.

“Combining the area’s heritage and its urban renewal over recent decades, Hawthorn Bond incorporates brick as a common link between the building and its context,” explains ODO director Samson Tiew.

“We were looking for a style that represented the heritage tones of Hawthorn Bricks, which has ceased production, and the Eaglemont brick from PGH Bricks’ Distinctively Melbourne range provided a very accurate depiction of these. As such, they have been used for the southern, eastern and northern façades.”