​The fabulous forest mansion built overnight

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Modular Home in Berry, NSW, Modscape Holdings Pty Ltd Modscape Holdings Pty Ltd Casas de estilo minimalista
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Today on homify 360°, we jet off to the small village of Berry in New South Wales, Australia. Here, located in the midst of a lush forest, a super modern mansion seemingly appeared overnight – okay it was a handful of days, but who’s counting?

The secret to the fast construction was because the house (a very loose term for this gorgeous structure) was built from 11 interconnecting modules, which were transported and joined together on site. The majority of work had already been done in a factory in Melbourne. 

Although modular homes are quite a new thing to South Africa, they are fast on their way to becoming a hot trend elsewhere in the world; a unique option for those interested in alternative housing. This is not only because they offer a quick and easy build, but also because they are much more environmentally friendly compared to more traditional building methods. 

Shall we take a look?

A long and linear shape

The design brief to the architects were quite simple: design a house that can enjoy the lush bushland views, while also providing a private haven for the owners. Fast-forward to this long and unique beauty, whose linear form was created to take advantage of the northern sun exposure and to act as a connection to the bush and mountain landscape.

The backyard paradise

Once we cross over to the back yard, it’s like we suddenly upped and left for a tropical paradise resort. Here is where a stunning swimming pool, spacious terrace, and breathtaking decking area conjure up a most tranquil space for relaxation. 

In terms of design, the colour palette is quite minimal and modest, relying on timber, concrete and zinc to conjure up a humble yet striking style. 

But there’s more: the materials and finishes not only look beautiful, but are all recycled, reconstituted or sustainably sourced. Of special note is the teak timber used on the exterior, which is sourced from sustainable plantation forests. 

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, all windows and glass doors are double-glazed as standard and the paints are all low VOC (volatile organic compounds).

The timber catwalk

Is it just us, or does this walkway, leading from the pool to the main building and enveloped by timber panels, resemble an exceptional catwalk? Just notice how the sunlight filters through the vertical panels and play an interesting game of light and shadow.

Modern and quite marvellous

From the catwalk (we mean walkway), we enter into the ground floor living area, where delicate modern décor immediately catch our eye. Quality definitely reigns supreme here thanks to a keen eye for detail. 

The main living zone opens out to the north-facing decking via generous sliding glass doors, encouraging tonnes of incoming natural light as well as lazy afternoons lounging by the pool.

Picked up any sign yet that this home is made from modules? Neither have we!

The crisp and clear bathroom

The main bathroom offers us a clean and simple layout and colour scheme, allowing for a multitude of possibilities should we feel the need to add more décor pieces. Also, any colours (from sea-foam green to ballet-slipper pink) will fit in most charmingly with that off-white palette. 

But like we’ve already learned, this house is more than just a pretty face: the running costs of the bathroom and the home as a whole can be close to nothing. At the very minimum, as a result of the way each module is designed, the homeowners can expect to save at least 20 – 30% on their standard water and energy bills. 

Suddenly the prospect of a modular home seems much more appealing, right?

Stunning and safe

Before we depart from this exceptional house, we take a quick look at the exterior wall, formed of a continuous stretch of concrete that offers up as little detail as possible. One would immediately assume that this design is inspired by the minimalist style; however, safety is the main reason why this was opted for. 

The reality is that this house is located in a bushfire zone, meaning that it (and its residents) will constantly be under threat of fire. Along with the clearing of vegetation, the concrete material provides the home with a safeguard against bushfires should they ever threaten the structure. 

Want to see some more examples of modular living? Then take a look at these: Magnificent modular homes.

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