New Fitzroy apartments bring 'movie glamour' to Melbourne's hipster heartland

Fitzroy has long been the home of cool. Everything from the latest burger bars to designer homewares can be found on Brunswick Street or its little sister Gertrude Street.

But before Fitzroy was a hipster heartland, it was an industrial hub of warehouses and garages. From as early as 1911, the Lyric Theatre was a place to escape the nine-to-five and watch a silent film.

Since it closed, the former cinema has housed numerous retail outlets and become more dilapidated in the process. The site will soon house a nine-storey apartment building that pays homage to the old picture palace.

Respecting the site’s history was an essential ingredient to its future design, says Bianca Hung, senior associate at Hayball Interiors.

“We wanted to tell the story of the Lyric, a former theatre, for occupants as soon as they arrive at the building,” she says.

“We did this by creating a sequence of experiences in the lobby, right through to the corridors and the homes. The lobby respectfully reveals the grandeur and drama of the theatre, while the corridors take occupants along a journey with dark floors, spot lighting and a red carpet accent.

“Fitzroy is becoming an increasingly sophisticated suburb, so we looked to embrace the artisanal and industrial past of the area and pair it with a design that would evolve as the neighbourhood does.”

There are two colour palettes to choose from: the encore has a black and white theme, while the matinee offers a white and champagne combination.

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Adding to the movie-style glamour are herringbone parquetry floors and bronze tapware, and the lobby shows off a soaring double-height ceiling.

A supermarket and cafe are planned for the ground floor, and, of course, there’s a private cinema residents can book.

First homebuyer Katherine Wharton, above didn’t think she could afford an address in Fitzroy. So the secondary teacher, who has rented for 10 years and saved for her own home for the past three years, was delighted to sign up for a one-bedroom apartment at The Lyric.

“I wasn’t expecting to buy, but everything just seemed to fall into place,” she says.

“I love the inner north, but just never thought I’d be able to afford buying there.”

Location was the main drawcard for Wharton, but she was also impressed by the shared spaces in the building.

“The idea is that you’ve got large communal areas, so a library, cinema, barbecue, cocktail bar area and you can book out particular sections of that using an app I think its called the Butler,” she says.

“Even though my apartment has a balcony, it would really be the only outdoor entertaining area. The idea that I could use those other outdoor spaces was incredibly enticing.”

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