Morro

Client: Morro
Location: Various (US/UK/Australia)
Year: 2019 – ongoing

Brief: To create a highly aspirational interior design for co-living units of different size and layouts and communal areas where residents can come together to lounge, socialise, exercise, eat, drink, work and live. (The ambition is to deliver 3,000 units in 10 buildings across US, UK and Australia by 2025).

Our design of these multi-unit, purpose-built residences is tailored to suit a range of demographics from young professionals to new families and retirees, aligning with the diverse nature of their local neighbourhood. Each building is imagined as a living ecosystem that is seamlessly integrated with the surrounding community and contributes to urban activation as well as addressing the need for new residential units in dense urban environments.

The brief includes in-depth research into the varied target audiences for each scheme, to understand the range of spatial typologies that will best serve the resident’s needs, offering everything from ‘introvert’ to ‘extrovert’ spaces.

The compact fully furnished ‘plug and play’ living units incorporate private fitted kitchens and bathrooms as well as upholstered bespoke furniture using natural materials to give a sense of warmth and domesticity. Opportunities for personalisation are integrated, capitalising on availability of natural light and centralising services to contain sound – all helping to create a relaxing and intimate living environment.

Their layout is designed to anticipate and respond to different ways of living. The units vary depending on the level of separation between the ‘living’ or ‘day’ area and the ‘sleeping’ or ‘night’ area to give a range of unit types that meet different preferences and needs. From open plan studio units where perception of space is maximised to more compartmentalised layouts more similar to 1 and 2 bed units. Details, including window proportions, sill heights, aspect and orientation are all optimized and integral to the interior concept.

To support and balance these private areas, we designed a range of shared amenity spaces to offer residents and visitors a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem on their doorstep, including lounge areas for social engagement, co-working spaces, gym and yoga studios and hireable kitchen and dining spaces for pop-up events and group dinners.

For each site we look for solutions that will create shared spaces that are responsive yet impactful. At The Bon in Boston we created a predominantly open plan amenity space, with a central open bookcase running through the centre of the plan (the spine) to define areas for work, play, cooking and relaxing without obtrusive walls. The spaces around were left flexible, adaptable to smaller or larger groups/events with fixed landmarks such as bars and kitchen to create structure.

At Blackhorse Lane in London, we designed a range of shared outdoor amenities including a music venue open to the public and retail units on the ground floor as well as the residential units. These enable the building to act as a porous hub for the local area, creating buzz and helping to regenerate the surrounding area.

At The Fay in San José, California the ground floor reception offers spaces to work and relax while the club lounge and gym on level 23 wrap around the pool deck offering amazing views of the Bay area and the mountains, as well as outdoor living rooms, barbecue and party areas.