Creating a Soundproof Sanctuary in Inner-city Melbourne

At The Canopy on Normanby, we are creating spaces that offer refuge from the stresses of everyday life. Each component of the project’s design has been carefully considered to bring a sense of calm to residences, underpinned by a connection to nature.

Hayball Architects have worked hard to incorporate unique features and creative design elements into The Canopy on Normanby to help us realise our vision.

We recently sat down with Bianca Hung, Interior Design Director at Hayball to learn more about the smaller details that were included in each space to provide residents with an escape from daily life and achieve a harmonious balance between the natural and the built forms.

“Our design is driven by nature and sustainability with a focus on well-being. Functional apartment layouts and generous balconies extend open living areas that maximise natural daylight and provide crossflow ventilation,” explained Bianca.

The team at Hayball incorporated a material palette of light timber and stone that reflects the natural history of the surrounding area, while sleek fixtures and joinery embrace curved forms to soften the space and maintain its contemporary feel.

The material palette is purposefully restrained to neutral shades of white, cream and grey. Natural finishes were chosen for their organic sensibilities that emanate nature with elegance and simplicity.

“We want residents to feel calm and at ease from the moment they enter the building, we achieved this through the use of soft lines, gentle forms and neutral tones highlighted with natural material.” Expressed Bianca.

Bianca went on to explain how their approach to the design also focused on practicality, finding innovative ways to incorporate storage, sound-proofing and flexible working solutions.

“Our design considers contemporary ways of living with an emphasis on integrated storage, flexible floorplans and subtle zoning such as the position of study areas to help keep work and home separate.”

The Canopy on Normanby will feature numerous storage options throughout homes with built-in robes in every bedroom and adjustable internal shelves in kitchens, bathrooms and laundries.

These design elements allow residents access to storage that can be easily adapted to their specific needs, from bookshelves or displays to additional crockery or dinnerware storage.

The feature end shelves in apartment kitchens provide a clean and contemporary look and maximise the use of the space. There are also options in certain apartments for residents to gain access to integrated storage units on balconies.

We also recognised the effect that excessive noise pollution would have on the quality of life for our residents, so we took the necessary steps to mitigate this and provide a quiet urban oasis.

We achieved effective soundproofing in a few different ways:

Double-glazed windows and doors

Window and door openings in apartments are specified to achieve 35dB(A) internal noise levels in bedrooms and 40dB(A) in living spaces. Window frames are also to be acoustically sealed to stop external noise from penetrating the serenity of living spaces.

Insulation

Acoustic insulation is to be installed to all walls, floors, and ceilings at the exterior envelope, and to party walls and floors between apartments and other internal spaces. Materials and methods used include mineral wool and polyester batts, acoustic underlay, spray-on acoustic treatment and discontinuous construction.

Sealed gaps and cracks

All walls and openings around the apartments will be sealed while entry doors will also feature full perimeter acoustic seals.

All the apartments have been configured as open floor plans to maximise the available space and offer flexibility to accommodate different lifestyles and the changing need of residents with minimal future intervention. The living spaces are fluid with enhanced opportunities for natural light and captivating views of the surrounding greenery for a strong indoor-outdoor connection.

The Canopy on Normanby is set to welcome its first residents in 2025.

Demolition has now commenced on-site at the project, and our display suite is open for inspection at 262 Normanby Road in South Melbourne book here

To learn more about The Canopy click here