OHP24 - Samson St by Keen Architecture, Pique & Studio Esar

Samson St

Designer: Keen Architecture

Builder: Pique 

Styling, Furniture and Art Curation, Interiors: Studio Esar

Photographer: Dion Robeson

With four young children and a 74-year-old Mosman Park house that was quickly becoming a little crowded, PIQUE owners Nick & Jess Berry decided the only way was up when it came to their dream home, opting to add a modular second storey rather than buying an existing home or starting from scratch.

Working with renowned Perth and Melbourne firm Keen Architecture, 28 Samson Street has undergone a stunning transformation from a charming mid-century home into a showcase of innovation and modular excellence, with the project taking slightly more than 6 months to complete. Originally designed and then put on hold to avoid renovating with a newborn, the home was finished in time for his first birthday. To achieve this goal, three modular pods were manufactured off-site, allowing the family to remain in the home for as long as possible before on-site work began. The three modules were then transported and expertly lifted into place, and within five hours the entire second storey was complete.

In a house that had undergone no less than four previous renovations, the challenge for this project was to determine the remnants of the original structure among the layers of alterations and how the various incarnations all mated together. Assessing the existing conditions was critical to the success of adding a prefabricated second storey - equally as challenging was trying to maintain the integrity of the existing house while tying in the new components and services.  

Precision assessment of existing conditions is key to ensuring a prefabricated module mates perfectly to the existing structure. Equally, aligning a prefabricated stairwell within an existing room is no mean feat, requiring coordination from day one. To ensure this happened, a Point Cloud survey of the internal rooms was key to this success, along with precision engineering and building.

The key move by Keen Architecture was to design a modular pod that didn’t instantly look like a stereotypical ‘modular’ build, which typically has limitations around transport height in particular. The high-pitched roof is comprised of a “cap” or top piece that was craned on independently then seamlessly joined to the pod below on site. The steep pitch is the key player in making the extension look nothing the preconceived notion of a modular project and gives its street presence a higher quality feel. 

The exterior ‘shingles’ are a high-end material and finish that wouldn’t typically be seen on a modular home or extension and were hand-folded out of Colorbond. This more luxurious finish adds even more interest, stepping away from preconceived notions of modular building and the standard list of finishes.

The project was not without its challenges, with a freak January storm the day the roof was removed causing significant water damage just prior to the landing of the modular pods. This resulted in an unforeseen renovation of the majority of the existing home including the requirement of a new kitchen. Despite this, the project only suffered minor delays with the kitchen designed, manufactured and installed in just 6 weeks.

With room to move and enjoy the additional family space, this project redefined the look of a modular home, and pushed the boundaries on speed and design.

We look forward to seeing you at Samson St!

Full address will be available once you have completed your free registration for this property.

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