A Bespoke Approach
Set within the rolling farmland of East Mulmur in rural Ontario, a vacation home crafted from timber, stone, and glass celebrates both the vernacular of the surrounding 19th-century farm buildings and modern aesthetics. Designed with multigenerational living in mind, Mulmur Hills Farm by Turkel Design is a bold vision for what prefab architecture can be at its best—a bespoke response to the clients’ way of living with a predictable process at its core.
"For those who still associate prefab with a lack of customization, or with low-quality materials, our homes upend their expectations," says Meelena Oleksiuk Turkel, partner at Turkel Design. "All of our homes—even those that originate from one of our design starting points in our Design Library—are highly customized for the homeowners’ site and lifestyle."
During the initial design phase for Mulmur Hills Farm, Turkel Design discovered that the clients like to spend time listening to records, relaxing over morning coffee, preparing meals together, playing cards, and mixing cocktails. As a result, the interior is defined by both spacious communal areas as well as more private and intimate spaces, both with a connection to the surrounding landscape and finely crafted walnut cabinetry that conceals a variety of amenities, including storage, a record player, and even a mixology station.
Using innovative panelized prefab construction, the home was produced just outside Quebec City as a series of flat panels to be assembled on-site. Not only does the process significantly reduce waste, but it also allows for flat-packing of building components for efficient shipping and a minimal number of trips to the site. "It’s just one of the many benefits of panelized prefab over modular prefab," says Oleksiuk Turkel.
The resulting home is a place for grandparents, parents, and children to gather and continue to build on their family traditions.
"We love the challenge of applying our design principles and process to help our clients live the lives they want," she adds. "We are so pleased to have helped them shape this future."
See the full home tour at dwell.com/turkel.
Published
Topics
Dwell Magazine