Comprising five storeys, the structure provides 700 square meters of commercial space at ground level along with 41 apartments on the upper floors. Its location along the busy junction of High Road and Oakleigh Road North places it amidst an eclectic context of building types, from large commercial structures to terraced housing and smaller residential developments.

The overall shape and size of 10-14 Oakleigh Road North is well-suited for its surroundings with different types of buildings. Parts of the building project outwards forming bays, while other parts are recessed inwards creating balcony areas. This creates a rhythmic, sculpted facade design that relates well to the larger buildings nearby, while also stepping down in height towards the smaller surrounding residences. The building has two separate entrance cores, which breaks up the long length and provides more access points to the apartments.

Central to the architectural expression is the strategic and considered use of brick as the lone primary exterior material across all components - something quite rare in contemporary practice. Using brick as the only exterior material gives the building a visually unified and solid appearance that strengthens the overall design concept.

For the brick itself, the architects specified Wienerberger's Con Mosso range for its distinct warm tones and textural inflections. The bricks feature an elegant interplay of white, buff, and yellow hues that imbue the structure with an overall sense of lightness, contrasting with its surroundings. The subtle variations in colour lend visual interest and nuance to the facades.

Specific detail choices help create a uniform, yet dynamic look. The mortar used between the bricks matches the warmer coloured bricks exactly, so there is no stark contrast between the bricks and mortar. The mortar is recessed slightly into the brickwork, which helps make each individual brick stand out more and adds a textured, rich look to the overall brickwork.

One of the most important design features is the careful use of different brick patterns across the building's facades and shapes. On the ground floor, protruding header bricks create a strong, heavy base that anchors the brickwork rising above. Higher up, flemish bond and stretcher bond brick patterns flow in alternating rhythms across the facades.

Horizontal bands of projecting bricks that turn corners punctuate these rhythms on the elevations. These turned bricks create crisp linear outlines that enhance the building's bold, geometric volumes, echoing the idea of solid forms extending from the facade surface. At the top level, a stepped-back brick parapet provides a sense of lightness to the overall structure.

The building’s shape incorporates both projecting bays and indented balcony areas across the different facades. The substantial bays jut outwards, creating deep, shadowed window recesses that amplify a feeling of solidity. In contrast, the carved balcony areas visually reduce the mass through these negative spaces. This interplay between solid and void further livens up the facades.

When viewed up close, the brickwork reveals very precise craftsmanship and intricate detailing. Patterns of bricks laid at an angle highlight important volumes like the tall stair towers, which use a hit-and-miss brick pattern to create dramatic lighting and shadow effects. Other areas integrate detailed hit-and-miss patterns at a smaller scale, resulting in rippling designs that alternate between solid bricks and open spaces across the wall surfaces.

Between the main facade elements and this layering of nuanced brickwork, the building exudes a natural rhythm and flow through its brick articulation. The intricate brick patterns and textures continue across the areas that project outwards, the indented areas, the core volumes like the stairwells, and all the different surface treatments, adding to the overall look and feel of the building.

Structurally enabling the cantilevered shapes are a series of intelligent brick support brackets that project from the facades at key points. These slim tension brackets distribute the weight from the overhanging volumes back to the main wall structure. Prefabricated offsite, the brackets enable complex architectural forms while seamlessly integrating into the cohesive brick aesthetic.

10-14 Oakleigh Road North represents a thoughtful execution of how an ancient yet humble material like brick can be implemented in innovative ways to create contemporary architecture of visual richness and depth.

While the facade motifs draw inspiration from the historic London mansion block vernacular, the building itself displays a modern, sophisticated design. The creative combination of timeless brickwork with bold volumetric interplays and a singular, cohesive brick materiality results in a uniquely expressive work of 21st century design and craft.

Through the considered use of Wienerberger's Con Mosso range, 10-14 Oakleigh Road North illustrates the remarkable versatility of brick as an architectural material. By leveraging the inherent modulation, bonding patterns, mortar detailing, and integrated prefabricated components, the design team has achieved an elegant interaction of traditional and contemporary brickwork techniques.