Melbourne apartment of the week: Nexus Apartments Thomastown

Nexus Apartments isn't your average apartment building. Drawing artistic cues from trains, the two residential buildings embrace the beauty of rail travel. From the arched windows to the slender form, the symbolism is expressed masterfully throughout the design. We caught up with Hachem's Founder and Principal, Fady Hachem, who explained some of the design decisions that influenced the final concept. 

Urban.com.au: Where did you draw inspiration for The Nexus Apartments from?

Fady Hachem: The site being located on a slim green wedge near a railway station ensured the train line became the overall inspiration for this evocative new apartment building. There was a call to embrace the romance to train travel to instil within the architecture, interior and branding as a whole.

U: What were the top 5 features you decided had to be included in the development and why?

FH:

1. The iconic filleted corners of the carriage window inspired uniquely shaped façade modules driven by parametric modelling. Each interior space is provided with these expansive carriage windows that frame views, while sheltering residence from the elements.
2. The massing and sublet curve of the building recalls the familiar image of the train passing around a bend in the track, while the contorting ground level façade references the flow of the railway line. The two buildings slip past one another like two trains in the night. The site’s long and narrow disposition made it necessary to think outside the box, yet not be detrimental.
3. The activation space in between the two buildings provides a genuine platform for community engagement. This will bring a slice of the city’s culinary life to the suburbs, and just like a classic Melbourne CBD laneway.
4. The inclusion of public art embodies the project’s ambition to transform the space into an expressive public space. This will help to bring some character and light into un usual suburban context.
5. The retail strategy brings to Thomastown a diverse group of retailers not seen in the area. Boutique operators from Melbourne fashion houses, to craft makers and F&B, will transform this strategic parcel of land and create the local hub the area deserves.

U: What do you think buyers love most about the development?

FH: This will be a landmark residential development, not only in the suburb, but also within the northern suburbs of Melbourne. As an ever-evolving and gentrifying area, buyers will be seeking to spend their money into a property that they will be proud to call home for a long time. Additionally, those looking to solely invest will be impressed by the location, amenities and the overall quality of the tenant this will attract. The aesthetics, matched with all these fundamentals of high-quality real estate will ensure that this development will be high on most people’s list.

U: If you had to choose your favourite aspect of the building, what would it be?

FH: Reminiscent of train carriage windows, I would have to say my favourite aspect is the distinctive windows found throughout the building. We find that one of the most vital connections between the inside and outside world is an often-underestimated design asset, and yet, one that lasts a lifetime. There is a subtle heightened sense of emotive response when viewing through these evocative frames. We trust this will bring joy to those lucky tenants well into the future.

U: What makes your project stand out from other properties on the market?

FH: We can start with the client Forte Group, who have allowed Hachem to push the boundaries and innovate a scheme that would typically be assigned to elite inner Melbourne suburbs. We can’t really comment on every property development across the entire market, but this project is certainly unrivalled for the local area and encourages buyers and locals to be engaged unlike anything else previously conceived.