One of the masterminds behind the first new apartment blocks constructed in Melbourne has been recognised by the Australian Institute of Architects' Victorian Chapter.

Nonda Katsalidis was awarded the Enduring Architecture Award for his role in the Melbourne Terrace project, which was completed in 1994. 

A founding partner at Fender Katsalidis, Mr Katsilidis has been at the forefront of Melbourne CBD apartment design throughout his career and it remains a core line of work for the practice today. 

He said Melbourne Terrace represented the commencement of a new wave of CBD living and multi-residential developments, taking cues from early 20th-century European modernism. 

“It’s a strange building in the context of Melbourne and at the time there was not a tradition of building apartments,” he said.

“A few years back I was listening to two people try to put into context when it was built and they agreed that it must have been in the 1920s or 1930s.

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Source: Fender Katsalidis

"It shows you can’t really put it into a timeframe. 

“It’s eccentric, it’s a one-off and it took a populist approach on purpose.” 

The Enduring Architecture Award is given to buildings of at least 25 years of age that are of outstanding merit and that, considered in a contemporary context, remain important as high-quality works of architecture. 

Mr Katsilidis said Melbourne Terrace showed how quality can withstand design trends and still be relevant.

"Longevity is essential in defining a city's design over a sustained period and it's an honour to be recognised for making such a contribution," he said.

The building is a six to eight storey articulation of four vertical terraces, encompassing various sizes and types of apartments, a small office, retail tenancy and café that create activity and interest at street level. 

The jury noted the excellent design and the project's broader role in rejuvenating the Melbourne streetscape. 

"It was arguably the catalyst for a renewed interest in city living," they said.

"The building also helped regenerate its locale, once characterised by run-down industrial properties and low-grade retail offerings." 

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