• LOCATION : Residential flat building, Belmont
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Complementing this more traditional aesthetic, the entry wing is perhaps what is expected of contemporary architecture today; a crisp white box. However, rather than dominate the entire design, the utterly modern is used as a beacon, a wayfinding point for both the building and the streetscape. The starkness of the entry wing is a delicate counterbalance to the earthiness of the residential wing and achieves a stunning visual equilibrium.

Arguably, the connections the Glover Street development makes to the historical context of their setting are what all good architecture should do. Great contemporary architecture takes the best of what has come before it and homogenises it with the best of the now. In this case, traditional forms are enlivened with contemporary materials and counterbalanced with one great moment of utterly modern architecture to reflect the present. Through this contrast, both wings create a balanced, cohesive whole that speaks to a variety of forms across time.

Regarded affectionately as Glover Apartments, this Belmont development reflects the homogenisation of past and present through the dynamic and changing façade which balances traditional forms and materials with contemporary counterparts. The most public areas are identified through the crisp white render and angular lines of the entry wing, standing boldly against the skyline. At ground floor level, the tenant is commercial. Above, a small selection of residents make their home, however the majority of the private areas and residential components are located in the more traditional, face-brick wing.

The residential wing is a contemporary take on classic forms, including the gable roofing prevalent in other residential architecture in the surrounding area. By employing this form, the development also speaks to the wider context and references the history of the site. The earthy colours help to ground the building in its place and counterbalance the swathes of light-drinking glazing that bathe each residence in sunshine. Timber louvres provide shade and further soften the sleekness of the brick and glass and encourage a dialogue with the street trees and landscape on site.