How Finnis Architecture designed Soul Hampton apartments
Hampton has quietly evolved as a sought-after suburb in Melbourne's Bayside area.
On the fringes of the ever unaffordable Brighton, Hampton has positioned itself as offering the same exclusive Bayside lifestyle without the high-end price point that Brighton will always carry.
Differentiating itself from the larger projects on the market in the area, Soul Hampton offers just eight apartments in the Riva Ridge developed project, with the group engaging Finnis Architecture and Interiors to design the building.
Finnis' Associate Director, Damon Hills, said the brief for Soul Hampton was for large residences with a wow factor worthy of the Hamptons location.
"Hampton is a coastal suburb and so we wanted to play on the notion of what that meant when thinking about a multi residential offering," Hills said.
Finnis has stuck to utilising the same brick features seen throughout other projects they've collaborated with Riva Ridge on, with the solidity and sense of permanence a striking feature.
"For this project we wanted the brick to be the hero material throughout Soul Hampton and so we've incorporated arches, showcasing the honest textural nature of the brick, with the feature bringing a softness to such a bold material," Hills added.
"Our design response was to ensure these element were not simply a façade treatment, but that they give the building an identity that can be read from all aspects."
The apartments feature natural stone and veneer timber panelling, as well as high-end finishes and Gaggenau appliances.
"The Hampton location was a key driver in the restrained coastal palette of the interiors," Hills noted.
"The natural timber tones and light stone treatment aims to play on the idea of what a coastal residence might feel like, with a light and bright atmospheric condition playing with the external greenery and bay views."
Hills said there was consideration that the spaces would be welcoming new residents who are shifting in furniture from family homes, so the size of the living space on offer was important.
Each apartment features balconies extending from the living areas, offering views of the bay. Light and space were critical elements in the design process of Soul Hampton.
