#modscape

St Kilda home by Modscape

Project Brunswick

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The modular house is arranged over two levels with a timber clad box atop a black metal base. The clients’ brief was to capitalise on the beautiful sea views so the main living space and master bedroom are elevated to the first floor. With the sea views to the south a secondary outdoor area was constructed to take full advantage of the northern sun.

The prefab house is accessed via an external steel staircase leading from the carport whereby you arrive at a semi-enclosed courtyard. Vertical timber battened screens sheltering the courtyard provide privacy from the street while still allowing northern sunlight to penetrate deep into the house. The battens are a continuation of the board + batten cladding which wraps around the upper level and helps to achieve an intimate quality through variation of natural light and shadow.

Occupants are then directed into the main living space and it is here where the full vista unfolds. An open plan kitchen, living and dining extends onto the rear deck through a bank of floor-to-ceiling glass stretching across the width of the house. The kitchen bench extends through to the deck providing the perfect area for outdoor cooking and entertaining.

The Cheminees Philippe double sided fireplace is a stunning feature of the home and is used to subtly define the dining and living room spaces.

On the ground floor, accommodation for guests and the children is generous, as is storage for surf boards, wetsuits and holiday necessities.

Responding to the clients’ preference for bright colours, painted doors and a bespoke kitchen – which features a bright green splashback – are a bold statement against the more natural hues of this alternative dwelling’s exterior.

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The design brief of this impressive modular home was to create an airy pavilion that takes advantage of the views while providing a private haven from the busy road below. Rendered brick walls envelope the home to create a protective compound which not only provides privacy, but ensures the prefab home is secure. The home’s long, linear form takes advantage of the northern sun and connects to the idyllic bush and mountain landscape beyond.

The approach and transition into the home was an integral part of the modular design. As such, all of the services are concealed from view. Visitors enter via a large pivoting door that penetrates the wall. They then move through a timber battened walkway where dappled light from the courtyard filters through before entering into the double height entrance space. The main living zone opens out to the north-facing courtyard, encouraging afternoons by the pool lounging to the soundtrack of nature.

Meeting all the functional requirements of modern, sustainable design, the home has a total floor area of 465 sqm and consists of 11 modules with a large, open plan kitchen/living/dining area at its heart. A timber joinery core conceals services such as butler’s pantry, laundry and powder room and houses a staircase leading to an upstairs music room.

The finishes palette is minimal and modest with timber, concrete and zinc used in an uncomplicated manner create a design that is humble and nondescript. All landscaping, including the pool, was also coordinated by Modscape.

In need of extra space for their growing family the clients decided to employ a modular solution and extend their home rather than move. The extension is open, filled with natural light and beautifully compliments its leafy suburban location.

A new double-height entrance space has been created in the middle of the house providing a clean separation and demarcation between existing and new. As soon as you walk in the front door, your eye is drawn up to the circular skylight which casts directed light to the open stairs below. To accommodate for the sloping site, the extension is terraced down the block with a slight change in levels between the original house (which has now become the kids domain), the entrance way and the new modular living area. This helps to subtly define different zones, while the same Oak flooring used throughout provides continuity and flow.

Just beyond the new entrance foyer is the heart of the home – a large kitchen. From the outset, the clients’ brief revolved around this space with the arrangement, layout and finishes carefully considered. With ample storage space provided in the butler’s pantry, the kitchen is big enough for the whole family to cook, gather and socialise. The heroes of the space are the large floor-to-ceiling windows that capture clear vistas into the beautifully landscaped backyard and surrounding trees. Cornerless sliding doors in the dining area provide a seamless transition from outside to in – the result is a relaxed, light-filled gathering space with a fantastic outlook and connection to the external spaces.

Sustainably-sourced Blackbutt timber, dark-stained timber and Colorbond Diversaclad marry in harmony in this home. Yet it’s when the first floor timber form starts to curve and becomes a battened screen that gives way to the house’s personality. The screen is practical too – it provides additional sun shading and privacy ensuring there is no overlooking issues into the neighbour’s backyard. For the adults, the master suite upstairs offers a peaceful haven, cantilevering out to the garden.

The house includes many active and passive systems to ensure that it functions efficiently. Solar passive heating and cross ventilation, high levels of natural light, double glazing with thermal break frames, over insulation (like all of our modular homes), 2,000L rainwater tank, energy efficient lighting, water efficient fixtures and reverse cycle heating and cooling alongside a gas fireplace.

While the Modscape team were busy constructing the extension within the factory the clients were living in the house disruption-free. The clients moved out four weeks prior to the installation date as Modscape coordinated the demolition and site preparation. Installation of the modules occurred in just one day. And three weeks later the Modscape team had completed the works and the clients could put the kettle on.

Located at Franklinford in Victoria’s Central Highlands, the four-bedroom modular home is shared between two families, providing a gathering place for the extended family and a place to relax and relish the joys of rural life.

Taking its cues from agricultural buildings in the surrounding farmland, this sustainable house is predominantly clad in Colorbond with accents of Vitrabond. Yet upon approach it’s the radially sawn timber board & batten clad form that commands attention. This beautifully textured façade conceals the calm rural retreat, with the long form providing a sense of enclosure and privacy.

Internally, a light material palette makes for a crisp and spacious prefabricated home. Rooms are washed in white, a marble-effect Caesarstone benchtop is selected, and white laminate joinery is used throughout. These elements create a beautiful contrast against the dark oak timber floors.

The large living wing, separated from the private bedroom wing, is the focal point of the house. Living and entertaining spills outdoors thanks to expansive floor-to-ceiling glazing opening up to a north-facing, sun-drenched deck. Views of the surrounding paddocks and creek are captured the moment you walk in the front door. The window itself becomes an ideal space to put your feet up and relax. Being a rural property, a mudroom laundry with external access was a must –a seat was even included in the joinery brief so that you can take off your dirty boots before heading indoors.

This prefab house is completely off-grid with all services systems designed to not compromise on the clients’ lifestyle. A nearby shed hosts the solar panel and storage system and a large 80,000L water tank is in use.

Like all Modscape modular homes, Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) have been incorporated to create a highly-insulated shell. The house has been oriented to capture the sunlight in winter, particularly in the large living area where the families spend the majority of their time. Carefully considered eaves together with thermally broken, low-e double-glazed windows which minimises solar heat gain in summer.