The Wickham apartment, which is tucked away at the rear of a heritage commercial building, is in no way like its office neighbours.

This apartment is sleek, fresh and modern, and twists its old foundations into raw edginess that brings personality to the space.

First off, the very location of the Wickham apartment, secluded from its inner city street position, gives the flight attendant client -who is often away working for days at a time- the privacy to come and go as she pleases. But it was BASE Architecture’s foresight that transformed the apartment’s interior into one that this city hopper could genuinely call home.

BASE Architecture Director Shawn Godwin explains that the idea for the design “springs from the client’s needs and necessities and it goes from there.”

Upon walking through the front doors of the apartment, the city noise from below dissipates as if allowing a fresh journey to begin. The entry level is devoted to open plan living, with all storage and services arranged to the sides to maximize space and evoke a sense of openness.

A mezzanine level was constructed as significant additional height was discovered above the ceiling, and this newfound space became the client’s private rooms. Such areas are divided by timber battening which cleverly give the impression of seclusion whilst not detracting from the sense of wide space the apartment upholds.

BASE preserved the raw existing fabrics of the building and juxtaposed it with clean, modern white interiors, allowing the two to work together to bring light, warmth and textural depth to the apartment. The double-level scheme teamed with the colour tones and materials used, reflect a respect for the beauty of the property’s original state and the calm associated with wide spaces.

No doubt, the client can link the airiness of her apartment to flying above the clouds, and after a long trip, can return to Wickham and feel like she’s finally made it home.

BASE Architecture
basearchitecture.com.au