Only nine metres in depth from front to back, the architects were mindful of imbuing the apartments with both natural light and cross-ventilation.

Loading

Thalis has first-hand experience of what it’s like growing up in a 100-square-metre apartment with his parents and two brothers.

“You tend to adjust to the space you live in, but I still recall the balcony being far too small to use on a practical basis”.

Here, the balconies are generous enough for an outdoor setting and privacy is afforded by either operable aluminium screens on the apartments on the first four levels, and fixed screens on the two-storey apartments (with wider gaps provided) that crown the development.

And although there’s a leafy patch out the back, there’s also an entire communal rooftop level between the two typologies.

Given the size of each studio apartment, there could have been a tendency to leave out many features found in considerably larger abodes.

So, while there may not be a dividing wall between the bedroom and kitchen (only the bathroom and laundry are separate) there is wall-to-wall joinery, with a substantial amount of storage.

“The brothers were keen to include generous storage, in spite of the size of these apartments,” says Thalis.

Large format tiled floors and polished concrete ceilings add to the robust feel of the interiors, given the urban environment.

Although there’s parking for 11 cars, spaces for motorbikes and storage for bicycles, there are four types of public transport at one’s doorstep: a train station, a light rail, a bus stop and, more recently, the introduction of a new cycle path.

“If anything, the off-street car parking could have been left out given the choices at hand,” says Thalis.

Loading

Concrete was the obvious material given this gritty urban environment. But it can also be expressed to celebrate its wonderful inherent qualities. The balustrades made from concrete block have a honey colour while the concrete stairwell to the rear allows a continual play of light against its interior curved walls.

“We need to address the standards normally applied to this type of development. Just because they’re small, they certainly don’t need to be inferior in terms of quality and finish,” says Thalis.

And, not surprisingly, the jury agreed.

“It’s important to give people dignity irrespective of where and how they choose to live,” he adds.