Architecture Becomes the Character for Kerry Hill Designed Melbourne Residence

A few months ago, Studio Ongarato approached Venkay with a project for a prestigious residence designed by Kerry Hill in the vibrant city of Melbourne. Having previously worked with Aman - several of whose properties, including Aman Tokyo, were designed by Kerry Hill - Venkay were already familiar with his work and shared a deep appreciation of architecture. It was a natural decision for them to take on the project.

With the residence’s prime location, showcasing the cultural richness of Melbourne’s offerings was essential. It was also important to imply service, ensuring that people sensed it without feeling constrained. The approach was minimal, contextual, balanced, and, of course, beautiful - just like a Kerry Hill design.

Since the project had not yet broken ground, carefully chosen real-world locations were combined to capture the atmosphere of the future residences. To evoke the feeling of actually being there, the team believed that real locations would provide the most genuine and compelling experience. The hope was to create an authentic experience that would resonate with viewers.

Kristell Chenut, director at Venkay said, “Kerry Hill has a way of bringing warmth in minimalism, making the interiors feel both restful and welcoming. From their sensitivity on how the natural light interacts with the indoor environment, to their selection of material carefully curated for their honest, raw, nature - we knew we had to approach it with a certain elegance, and highlight all these details of light and texture. It's always a challenge to channel an architectural language into the writing of a film, and one we love. The architecture informs the film: we treat it almost as a character, with its own personality - the good of course, but also the imperfections, as flaws are also what makes it more genuine - and people can feel that."