A Testament to Minimalism - The Albert Park Extension by Modscape
With minimalist charm, the Albert Park extension by Modscape highlights the architectural possibilities of prefabricated construction, creating a tranquil retreat for its inhabitants.
Modscape was brought on board to reinvent the original ageing Victorian-era house and its dated, clunky extension, located in the Melbourne suburb of Albert Park. The client’s brief was to provide a home that was a quiet, relaxing place to come return to, away from the busy, frantic pace of the surrounding city.
The client’s brief was to provide a home that was a quiet, relaxing place to come return to, away from the busy, frantic pace of the surrounding city.
The architects worked with the existing home to provide consistency from the front door right through to the pool. Limestone tiles extend from the front and are continued as the pool tiles, creating a continuity that unites the house in a blend of old and new. The original house was turned into two guest bedrooms with a laundry and bathroom. Moving through, the extension completely opens to the back courtyard, with the prefabrication module running the full-width of the block without any dividing walls.
The architects worked with the existing home to provide consistency from the front door right through to the pool.
The kitchen is made from dark, bespoke oak joinery with porcelain benchtop and integrated appliances which can be stored away after use. Skylights puncture through the ceiling, drawing light into the kitchen, complementing the vast windows that open to the garden. The result is a clean, minimalist space that enhances and harmonises with the living area it flows into, where limestone tiles and crisp white walls are contained. In the new zone, the living area has sweeping ceiling-to-floor, wall-to-wall glass windows that can be opened to expand on dwelling space.
The garden is transformed into an oasis in contrast with the busy front entrance. Situated at the back of the home, with a lap pool that draws in extra light to bounce into the living room, the private garden becomes the ultimate retreat. The simple, minimalist space features a single Japanese elm tree and pool, within a timber decking and all-white concrete surrounding wall which block out noise.
Contrasting the openness of downstairs, the upstairs master suite is a series of two modules that keep the space cosy and intimate. A cedar screen covers the windows, providing privacy while allowing a tranquil filtered illumination. The bathroom is given the ‘spa treatment’ with limestone tiles covering the walls and floors, and a freestanding bath lit with skylights.
In the new zone, the living area has sweeping ceiling-to-floor, wall-to-wall glass windows that can be opened to expand on dwelling space.
The house was fitted with a 2,000-litre rainwater tank, hydronic underfloor heating, and solar that heats the pool – adding sustainable features to the heritage home. Modscape also factored in sun shading from the first‐floor timber box, which overhangs two meters, allowing in winter sun to heat the home but providing passive cooling elements in summer.
The result is a home that ignores the typical limitations of prefabricated construction to create a refined and considered approach to inner-urban living – a true retreat.
