MASTERCLASS: TOM DIXON

In an Australian first, the design luminary brings his discerning eye Down Under

The iconic UK designer talks about his role in a new Melbourne residential development, and offers insights into his creative genius

Melbourne-based property developer Above Zero has partnered with architecture and interiors firm Cera Stribley and renowned international designer Tom Dixon to deliver a landmark residential development called Rondure House in Studley Park, Kew. We caught up with the busy British designer to talk about his inspiration for the apartments, and why it’s more important than ever for residences to be designed with quality of life in mind.

How did the collaboration begin? What attracted you to the Rondure House project? Seeking to implement a lifestyle rarely found in Australian developments, Above Zero ran a design competition to find an architecture and interior design firm to work with after securing the site in Studley Park. One of Melbourne’s most innovative firms, Cera Stribley, created the facade and building design, which celebrates the Modernist architectural history of the area. Cera Stribley was intent on delivering a product that had never been seen in Australia before, so they engaged our team at Design Research Studio to create the interiors in conjunction with the team at Cera Stribley.

The best collaboration is when different people bring different skills to the project and this is why the relationship worked.

The process of any job is collaborative, particularly in the creative industry, therefore I like working with teams that have a wide variety of skills – like the team working on Rondure House.

What was the inspiration behind the design of the project?

The starting point was the architecture by Cera Stribley. It is a reference to Brutalism, concrete and soft curves, and is nestled in an amazing natural landscape. The palette of materials is really reacting to the architecture. We concentrated mainly on the lighting and some key elements, such as the Lobby, Opal Bar and Lounge, and the custom bar and fireplace units in each apartment. We worked with managing principal Dom Cerantonio and creative director of interior design Lucy Marczyk from Cera Stribley to implement this, along with the rest of the interiors designed by their team. The geometry of gemstones and how they capture and reflect light also have a degree of influence.