Fitzroy Loft by Architects EAT

Chances are you’ve already seen this project in your interweb travels, and for a good reason – it’s a ripper. The loft – built inside the iconic MacRobertson chocolate factory in Melbourne‘s Fitzroy is a conversion of a gritty 250sqm brick warehouse into a family home. Architects EAT have manipulated the former industrial building into a mixture of intimately scaled family spaces and vast entertaining voids. Two full height courtyards act as the lungs of the design, bringing both light and sky views deep into the internal space. The private areas such as the study and the bedroom are accommodated on the first floor, inside volumes of a more intimate scale.

The 125-year-old warehouse is now mostly residential, although the site was preciously an advertising agency before the current owners purchased it. Before that it was Melbourne’s first Akido Dojo martial arts studio. The architects made a huge effort to respect the building’s rich past, with initial plans often changing to suit on-site findings.

The steel bridge made from a perforated base and stringers, connecting the upstairs mezzanine on either side of the loft, is especially compelling. What’s also incredibly appealing about this home is it’s relaxed, unpretentious nature. Although spectacular and grand, the adaptation of the historic warehouse provides an incredibly warm and liveable interior.

It’s not difficult to see why this project was the Winner of 2016 Australian Interior Design Award for Residential Design. So good.

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