This Gold Coast ground floor condominium was, in previous incarnations, several restaurants, as well as a private residence. The program involved the transformation of the existing, highly ornamental traditional interior design to a clean, streamlined and contemporary apartment. A primary design challenge was to preserve as much of the existing construction as possible without compromising the efficient, harmonious fulfillment of the owner’s objectives. Attention to the opportunities inherent in the existing plan together with careful space editing, choice of materials and repeated motifs were key to the creative and environmentally sensitive execution of the project. The successful implementation of the design strategy is exemplified in the reconfiguration of an existing courtyard to an office/family area that functions as the center of the home. Reclaimed oak flooring, cut into thin slices and crafted into an elegant veneer, used extensively for wall panels, built-ins and ceilings, and a repeated pattern of shoji screens serve to unify the collection of spaces while acting as a quiet backdrop for the owner’s extensive art collection.
