Designing and Building to Last – Esplanade by Masco Build
Specialising in luxury high-end residential and commercial constructions, Masco Build has cemented itself as a contemporary leader within the building industry. Led by Founder Samuel Farag, the company prides itself on delivering authentic and innovative construction, unmatched in potential and execution – exemplified by the luxury residential project Esplanade in Brighton.
With the ability to implement both building and design strategies, Masco Build specialises in a proactive approach to construction. “We offer a holistic service where we can be engaged in the design phase of a project,” Samuel explains. Founded in 2018, the construction company inserts itself as an integral component of each build, from refining plans before construction all the way through to the execution of the resulting home. “[We] have a real hands-on approach in terms of the design. We can do difficult, complex structures,” Samuel says. Having commenced his journey within the industry through the avenue of civil engineering, Samuel applied his cumulated knowledge across roles both locally and overseas before finding himself in the high-end residential sector, where he has been for some time now. “That’s where my passion lies,” he reflects.
Having this strong understanding of the fundamentals of the construction process allows Masco Build to apply the complexities of a commercial structure within the application of high-end residential buildings. “It’s really combining the two into one,” Samuel explains. It is this approach that underpins the company’s mission statement: to create great working relationships, deliver a build to be proud of, and ensure every project is undertaken with honesty and integrity. Samuel’s engineering background continues to influence the way he foresees a project, ensuring the company methodically plots every step of the process – it is this foresight that allows Masco Build to emerge as an industry leader. “In high-end residential construction, [projects] need to be meticulously planned in terms of your approach and execution,” he explains, “because something that you don’t think about today is going to catch up with you down the track.”
The company is comprised of a dynamic young team, working closely with industry professionals and clients to produce homes that are exceptional in purpose and poise. Liaising with architects, consultants and engineers – and having these conversations early on in the process – allows Masco Build to streamline the experience, as well as the expectations for all. “Essentially, we flesh out any design issues before construction commences,” Samuel explains. “We’re involved in influencing the design in that process and also managing it, effectively, project managing the process at that stage of the job.”
Esplanade in Melbourne’s suburb of Brighton – a project that Samuel describes as a stand-out for the company – exemplifies this approach. “This job was definitely one of the most complicated and challenging jobs that I’ve been a part of,” he reflects. As two distinctive townhouses side-by-side on the one site, Esplanade is the result of a considered and respectful collaboration between Masco Build, Elevli Plus and Hany Saad Innovations. The design coordination that ensued is a testament to Masco Build’s expertise; the Melbourne-based building team interpreted the renders crafted by the international designers who had not seen the site firsthand. “We had to dissect, essentially, the design and the 3D images that [the clients] were given,” Samuel explains. “The difficult part was to take that image – that expectation – and then make that a reality. We had to finesse and fine-tune every single detail in the house; it was a lot of man-hours involved in procurement, in design managing, shop drawing and shop drawing reviews.” Coordinating complex finishes with detailed planning, Masco Build guided Esplanade and allowed the multifaceted home to materialise.
Aesthetically, Esplanade is defined by a rich material palette, most significantly the home’s use of stone. “We had around 260 slabs of stone from G-LUX in the project,” Samuel says. “Every single piece of stone was photographed, and the veins that were in that stone were then overlayed onto the area that was going on so that we could actually see what the veins were going to look like before it was installed.” This alignment process took Samuel and his team three months to successfully implement. Stone can also be seen in a corridor floor that was installed in a staggered chevron pattern. “To add to the complexity,” Samuel explains, “we had solid brass inserts in the floor, on top of the vein matching as well.” Adding to the materiality within Esplanade is the extensive joinery provided Touchwood Cabinetry, rose-tinted antique mirrors, as well as hand-painted feature paint in French wash throughout both houses.
From individual grooves etched into the stone walls to the brass trimming, Esplanade is a labour of love, attention and care. “There’s so many intricate details that you can’t just capture [in photographs],” Samuel notes. Brass inserts are delicately placed in between junctions where the timber flooring meets stone, whilst a custom-built unit adds a dynamic point of difference within one of the living rooms. Bespoke moments such as these are featured throughout every facet of the building and are what makes the project unique. Even the moulding work from within one of the theatre rooms is custom made “from the 3D image that we were given from Hany Saad [Innovations]. We had to draw up what the moulding would look like, get the extrusion of that moulding custom made, then we had to give that to someone to then cut the moulding and hand assemble each individual panel on site.”
Masco Build evidently did not shy away from the complexities produced by the design. “[Esplanade] was essentially a full commercial structure – so it was a concrete basement, concrete precast walls and concrete slabs in between,” Samuel explains. “That building methodology is exactly what you’d find on a 20-storey building, but we were doing it for a two-storey house. We adopt the same building and design strategies on smaller projects.” It is this ability to accomplish robust builds within residential settings that allows Masco Build to produce quality, authentic and durable homes. “This project encapsulates a lot of the things that we do that others can’t do,” he says. “Masco has the ability to deliver any project regardless of the complexity.”
