How Cheah Saw Architecture designed the Altona Voyage apartments: Five minutes with Eugene Cheah and Joanne Saw
Spacious Group’s latest residential development, Voyage, has been designed by the Melbourne-based Cheah Saw Architecture, who took inspiration from its enviable location in the beachside suburb of Altona.
Located at 102-106 Pier Street, Voyager has an asymmetrical form with refined materiality.
The architecture takes on the surrounding landscape, referencing the natural beauty of Altona, structured with a contemporary edge.
“We wanted to encapsulate the best of living in Altona, by the beach yet with all the conveniences of a bustling retail precinct at your doorstep,” Eugene Cheah and Joanne Saw said.
“By connecting the residences to the memories and experiences of the beach - the reflections and refractions on the water, the dappled light, sea breeze - we wanted these experiences to enhance the rituals of daily living at Voyage, so that residents would always be aware of their beautiful coastal location.”
The layered and textured design is echoed throughout the interiors, creating a sense of unison between the outdoor and indoor spaces with the flow of the living areas benefitting from full-height windows, before opening out onto expansive outdoor spaces.
“We wrapped the building in a translucent screen to give privacy from the street and protect from the weather, whilst still allowing outdoor living year-round," the duo added.
“The glistening sunlight on the waves is translated into the dappled light filtering through perforated screens.
“These outdoor rooms, while still private and protected, mediate between the domestic interior spaces of the residences and the urban context and expansive surrounding coastal landscape."
Tying into the Altona landscape, Voyage is an extension of Pier Street and the Altona Pier out into the bay. The architecture evokes the experiences of the beach close by says Cheah and Saw
“The greenery of the foreshore reserves is echoed in the landscaped courtyard running through the heart of the project.”
The garden is overlooked by the bridges that connects the two residential blocks, raised over the ground floor, it opens up the building to views toward the ocean and envelopes apartments in natural light.
“We’re very excited by the expansive communal garden located in the heart of the project, where residents can relax in their own private oasis whilst taking in the prime views of Voyage’s location.”
