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Handmade Petersen Kolumba™ bricks add softness and familiarity to Otto


Petersen K91 Bricks, Otto Apartments

The eight generously sized, low maintenance Otto Apartments in Brighton have a distinctive and timeless style. Renowned for its landmark designs and high-end, sophisticated apartments, the creative team at mckimm certainly did not disappoint, delivering a luxurious, contemporary choice for Melbourne’s downsizing market.

“There was a real gap for luxury, high-end apartments … and we wanted to stay true to the mckimm design philosophy of creating large, high-end homes that focused on intelligent acoustics, structural integrity and exquisite attention to detail,” comments mckimm.

The material palette is honest and raw, with an abundant use of natural materials, including brick, concrete, steel and zinc: the elegant façade being the first and most obvious display. Handmade Petersen Kolumba™ (K91) bricks on the street front are harmoniously paired with off form concrete, along with Blanco bricks on the sides and rear of the building.


“We love the character and form of the Petersen Kolumba™ bricks – they’re long and narrow, and every brick is handmade, so they’re really unique. We were looking for something unique, natural and low maintenance, and the K91 bricks were just perfect, they softened the look of the entire building and made it more familiar,” mckimm explains. “The Blanco bricks also worked in well with the Petersen Kolumba™ bricks, maintaining their intent, while offering a more cost-effective solution for the development.”

Located in a mature, tree-lined street, the external facade of Otto is further softened and complemented by meticulous landscaping at the apartment’s entrance and on every balcony and outdoor space. This providing residents with lush green aspects out of almost every window, adding a sense of tranquillity to the development.

The high-end details continue on the apartment’s interior, each one individually designed and crafted to create a beautiful sanctuary. Once again a common theme inside is sophistication, with an equally inviting interior palette of American Oak timber floors, stone and bespoke joinery throughout.

The kitchen, living and dining spaces space attract an abundance of natural light through generously sized windows and open plan living and, while minimalist in design there is a clear focus on comfort and elegance. mckimm is to be congratulated for developing an iconic ‘forever’ building that has already made a considerable mark on Brighton’s streets. Needless to say, with mckimm’s reputation for developing “liveable spaces … and contemporary homes that better the lives of those who experience them,” this distinctive development sold out quickly prior to construction.

Architect, Builder, Developer: mckimm

Photographer: Dave Kulesza



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