Florence Court - Unit B

Builder: Wave Built  |  Styling: Max Copolov  |  Photography: Alex Reinders  |  Year completed: 2023

Florence Court is a heritage renovation project comprising two adjacent apartment units in an Art Deco apartment block. Designed by renowned Australian architect Esmond Dorney in the Streamline Moderne style, the units were initially built to house low and middle income families in the bayside suburb of Middle Park, Victoria. 

The properties’ architecture was reimagined through a contemporary lens by demolishing walls and relocating openings to create new, open plan entertaining areas. This was key to addressing our modern appreciation of natural light and interconnectivity. Likewise, integrating modern appliances like fridges, dishwashers and laundry facilities served to distinguish the design from its historical past. 

In contrast, the decorative detailing was approached with a more traditional attitude. Finishes and fixtures were chosen for their period qualities, sympathetic to the Art Deco style. Tapware, door hardware, towel rails and plaster mouldings were selected to complement or match the existing historical features, rather than compete with them. The custom design and colours of the ceramic kitchen floor tiles in Unit 1 were borrowed from the original tessellated hearth tiles, rescaled and reimagined to delineate and harmonize between the old and new. Handmade wall tiles and unadorned oak joinery also served to compliment the building’s humble origins.