Urbanest by DKO

We were able to carry these interesting elements of the external façade into our interior design of the public spaces. From the architects
Berkeley Street is a student accommodation project which we completed in January this year. Working closely with a lighting designer to help highlight these features and coordinate the linear exterior with the interior. The external façade of the building is a striking composition of light and dark materials along with angular shapes and ovals. Urbanest being the client group have many established buildings all over the world and this being their first project in Melbourne we wanted to create an identifiable building which encompasses their branding and the architectural design. Focussing on the detailing throughout to achieve this correlation from the use of patterned Bolon Flooring to the joinery unit comprising of the Imac zone desk and bench seating for the students. As the architecture and interior design uses lighting to highlight the details and design, we worked closely with the lighting designer to model the energy and lighting levels and used LED lighting throughout. We had to really consider the finishes and furnishings which we used on the interior as they needed to be durable enough to maintain the daily use from students and to avoid replacement in the future. The use of Bolon woven textile was an integral part of our design process due to its high durability, sustainable credentials and ease of cleaning in comparison to carpet which in turn reduces maintenance and saves on money. The bathrooms themselves are pods which were constructed off site and placed into position on site. Architect: DKO
Photography by Peter Clarke Photography