T
he house is situated to the front of the plot away from the road and abuts
a steep slope on two sides. The house responds to its location by inserting
itself into the natural sloping landscape, moulding its mass and form to
the contours of the site. Thus, the premise of the design was twofold.
Firstly protection from the harsh south easterly winds and allowing direct
northern sunlight into spaces – it had to be comfortable in both summer
and winter. Secondly, the dwelling had to take advantage of the vast ocean
and fynbos views towards the south and west.
With these principles in mind, the positioning of walls revolved around a
site driven concept. Each room was positioned to have magnificent views of the landscape
through large strategically placed glass windows and doors. The floor plan was designed
to take its cues from the site, resulting in a fragmented series of interconnected volumes
with different heights and materials.
The house was divided into a split level – a ground floor level and a basement level. The
basement level is primarily utilized for entertainment, housing a cinema and a wine
cellar. From the wine cellar patio, one has a view of the ocean, and within a few steps
from the door, brings one up close and personal with the fynbos landscape. The ground
floor contains the main living area, bar lounge, northern living courtyard with boma, pool
and 4 bedrooms en-suite. Due to the slope of t