223 Napier Street, Melbourne by Freadman White for Milieu.

Partnering with architects Freadman White and a gifted team of collaborators, Milieu has imagined a collection of 14 homes at 223 Napier Street offering timeless appeal; their modernist vernacular significantly contributing to the streetscape of Fitzroy’s ‘Golden Triangle’.

Freadman White’s intellectual rigour and attention to small gestures elevate the overall outcome. Building on Melbourne’s unique urban texture with a sensitive design response inspired by Australian modernism, Napier Street’s homes are defined by spatial intelligence.

Drawing inspiration from Heide II, the former home of Sunday and John Reed by designer McGlashan Everist, Freadman White’s reinterpretation echoes principles found in the finest modernist buildings.

Robust materiality, unmistakably Australian and chosen for its organic beauty, offers understated sophistication that encourages tranquil repose. Expressed through a sequence of zones, the palette invites retreat from the vibrant activity of outside city life.

An unfolding sense of arrival takes cues from European modernist living, with each apartment enjoying access and cross flow ventilation through a series of open air pathways. Refined material details are thoughtfully employed to enhance the experience, marking a journey through lush external greenery and a calming flow from the front gate to the front door and beyond.

The prominent grain of European oak flooring throughout the interior is offset by the polish and contrast of terrazzo tiling in the bathrooms, 2.9-metre-high exposed concrete ceilings, and honed natural stone benchtops.

Feature joinery sees each element designed and constructed with a thorough consideration of functionality and beauty. Refined woodwork is paired with brushed brass shelving and brass joinery pulls.

Melbourne’s cultural life and design history is an enduring source of inspiration for Milieu and their chosen collaborators. Driven to create spaces that positively contribute to individuals and their surrounds, 223 Napier Street is a refined, valuable response to context, offering occupants a sense of home, close to the city.

Related: Palazzo Marcello at Whitlam Place by Freadman White with Marcello Donati of Anon Studio.

[Images courtesy of Milieu. Photography by Gavin Green.]