As the name would suggest, Pearl is a residential development that is both beautiful and perfectly formed. With interiors by Sora and architecture by LiFE Architecture and Urban Design, these boutique residences epitomise luxurious living, where materiality, functionality and space are expertly intertwined.
Pearl is located in Brighton, an upscale bayside suburb of Melbourne, and the development reflects its place and the expectations of the local populace. There are 10 residences, comprising two- and three-bedroom apartments and two penthouses. However, what sets this project apart from its peers is the attention to every detail, large and small.
Soliana’s Founder and Managing Director, Sonia Taskovska, worked closely with Chantelle Balliro, Principal, and Emma Riquelme, Associate Principal, of Sora and their team to achieve the stunning result.
As Pearl was Soliana’s first development, Taskovska brought a strong and highly personal vision to the project, with Sora translating and elevating that vision through the interior architecture and design.
“For me, luxury isn’t about filling a home with expensive things. It’s about how a home makes you feel. Beauty and functionality have to work together – the materials, the proportions and the way you actually live in the space. True luxury is when beauty and functionality become one,” reflects Taskovska.
While Pearl is indeed beautiful inside and out, it is the thoughtful and layered interiors that ensure Pearl stands out in a market filled with multi-residential offerings. Stone with accents of brass is used to magnify the idea of luxury. Swathes of travertine in the lobby and Santo Blue Dolomite within the homes inform the colour palette, which is soft and calming, while also adding texture to the aesthetic.
The spatial layout of each apartment has been cleverly devised, with ceiling heights of 2.8 metres and generous open-plan living spaces. There is ample natural light and, depending on the time of day and season, shadows cast their constantly changing organic forms over the interiors.
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While luxury appointments were an integral inclusion for Taskovska, of equal importance is the functionality of the home. For example, there are warming drawers in the kitchen and a Zip tap in the butler’s pantry, fridge drawers in every bar area and a drying cabinet in the laundry. Wardrobes are expansive, with displays for clothes, shoes and jewellery, and there is added flexibility with removable shelves for long or short garments or appliances.
For those considering moving from the family home, the idea of relocating to an apartment can be challenging, but at Pearl, each residence contains all that a large standalone home offers and so much more. The attention to security and low-maintenance living ensures that moving to Pearl makes downsizing an easy decision. And while privacy is assured, there is also the chance to meet neighbours and create a community.
Balliro explains, “The first element we really looked at was the living, dining and kitchen areas and they are substantially larger or just proportionally right to actually be a home. And next is the movement of space. So, when you open your front door you can see the entry credenza display and there’s a place to put your phone down and drop the keys off. Then there’s a coat cupboard, so that you can take your coat off and put your bag there. It’s just understanding the movement and the way in which someone would actually walk through the space.”
For Sora, a predominantly female design studio, working with a female developer provided the opportunity for a unique collaboration that has resulted in a strong relationship. This has translated into the design, where concepts were investigated and reworked until Taskovska’s particular and intuitive vision was ultimately achieved.
This project has been so successful that there are three more in the pipeline – all with the same level of elegance and finesse that now represents the design connection between Soliana and Sora.
As Riquelme comments, “Working with Sonia, and as this was her first project, we stopped to reflect and make sure that we were also helping to educate in the types of things that we really felt would align to the project as well as her brand. So, it was refreshing for us to just slow down and enjoy the process.”
Success comes on every level with the completion of Pearl – as an expertly designed project, a deep understanding between designer and client and a distinct offering in the marketplace. While Pearl is the first project for Sora and Soliana, it marks the beginning of a great collaboration and sets the bar high for exemplary boutique residences.
Perhaps the last word should come from the client, Taskovska, who comments, “Pearl has really clarified for me what Soliana stands for. The principles of human experience, craftsmanship, beautiful materiality, timelessness and a strong sense of place will continue, but every project will have its own story. Pearl has also given me greater confidence to trust my instincts, and I’m incredibly excited about what comes next.”
