Marmont

Surrounded by a pre-existing architectural blend of Inter-War era detached housing, artdeco flat buildings and contemporary apartments, MHNDU’s design brief for Fortis Development Group was a potentially tricky one: to design a luxurious apartment building catering to the needs of design savvy residents whilst simultaneously ensuring the creationof a modern apartment block which blended harmoniously into a tightly held residential area, already crowded with multiple design schemes. The end result is Marmont – a sophisticated, harbour view centric design which speaks of the transformative potency of shape and embodies a distinctly Sydney aesthetic. In order to create a sense of urban serenity from a heavily trafficked major road, Marmont is intentionally set back from the street and located behind existing buildings in order to minimise its visual impact on the streetscape and ensure residents are afforded a sense of privacy despite the arterial location of the site. Elevated to improve residential amenity and maximise views, the building is only partially visible from the street front due to a battle axe configuration, a design limitation which provided MHNDU with a rare opportunity to maximise a sense of residential seclusion despite the site’s central location. The building is oriented as far as possible towards the water to take maximum advantage of sought-after views of Sydney Harbour. What makes Marmont particularly notable in this regard is the fact that these spectacular views are seen internally from the wide, open plan living spaces and lavish master bedrooms, all benefiting from their Northerly position. The external copper facade landmarks the building as a significant architectural entity, referencing the semi-prestigious site location with high-end material accenting. This is done so with a relaxed expression achieved through the building’s irregular and asymmetrical form, allowing for sophistication without unnecessary monumentality.