LUNA APARTMENTS -

ST KILDA

Callum says that “the science of the building is the science of perception”. The metallic skin seems almost intangible, hovering between reality and fantasy – a comment on the tension between the interior and exterior self. How much of ourselves do we reveal; what is introverted and what is extraverted? 

The kinky scene gave audiences the answer to their poignant question: what is Leia hiding under her robes? Luna was the answer to the ongoing conundrum of apartment life – how do you retain privacy, keep your lights on and still enjoy the view? And like Leia, who overcame the indignation and humiliation of being enslaved as Jabba the Hutt’s dancing girl through her inner strength – Luna is not just a pretty face. 

To address privacy, light and visibility issues, they designed an operable shutter system, which surrounds the entire building, protecting the interior and housing a series of lights, which offer residents ultimate control over not only what they see, but what others can see of them! Switching the inside lights on reflects the interior of the apartment onto the windows, and people outside can see in, however leaving the outside lights on illuminates the interior, turning the windows transparent, and people outside are prevented from seeing in by the reflection of the lights on the glass. 

Besides the curvy form, revolutionary lighting system and flesh and bronze façade, Luna is also Elenberg Fraser’s first completed wayfinding and signage project for multi-residential apartments. A red Sith Lightsaber stands guard like a sentinel at Luna’s front entrance, and the red light carries through to the retail arcade directing you to the apartments above. White LED light battens are used in the lobby and throughout the ground floor; we created a dot-dash numbering system to identify the apartments. 

Photo credits: Elenberg Fraser, Peter Clarke