South Melbourne’s Elm Apartments Feature a Striking Louvered Leaf Screen Façade

One of South Melbourne's newest residential towers extends its leafy motif far beyond its name to include a leaf-screened facade as well as living walls, indoor planters and a lush rooftop garden. The perforated aluminum louvers on the north and west facades of the <a href="http://www.elmapartments.com.au/home.html" target="_blank">Elm Apartments</a> provide the interior spaces with critical shading from the Australian sun, as well as privacy. Designed by Melbourne-based <a href="http://www.e-f.com.au/ajax/" target="_blank">Elenberg Fraser Architects</a>, the 252-apartment tower is reflective of the ‘green’ elements of its location between the Boulevard and the Bay. The architectural design and energy efficiency strategies work to enhance the tower's commitment to the environment.

<a href="http://www.elmapartments.com.au/home.html" target="_blank">Elm Apartments </a>are located on Dorcas Street just off tree lined St. Kilda Road boulevard.

In keeping with the theme of the trees and the surrounding lush vegetation, Elenberg Fraser decided to use the leaf motif throughout.

The east side features an elm leaf image woven intricately across the white facade.

eanwhile the west and the north facades feature louvered sunshades that work to create privacy between the apartments and to provide shade from the sun.

Viewed from various angles these fins become leaves dripping from the elm tree.

They dramatically reduce the heat load between 12-3 pm ensuring the apartments don't overheat and the cooling load is minimized.

A <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/vertical-garden">green wall</a> around the outside of the ground floor invites you inside leading to another vertical garden inside the lobby.

From there you take the elevator up to the fifth floor podium and rooftop gardens where there is a rooftop pool, mod shaded decks, lush vegetation and more green walls

Artist rendering of the exterior.

Artist rendering of the lobby.

Artist rendering of the lobby.

Artist rendering of the living room in an apartment.

Artist rendering of the pool deck.