Timber iQ Dec 2017 - Jan 2018 // Issue:35 | Page 24

PROJECTS
The farm is perfectly nestled around vineyards and olive groves.
on the steeply sloping estate. Much as the old road dictated
the path its users took in years gone by, it set the stage for
the configuration of the two cabins.
The foundations of the project innovatively deviate from
timber frame construction convention due to the unique
requirements of the build, which rests instead on custom-
made light-steel bases supported by concrete columns.
Timber frame construction was an ideal solution to the
challenges posed by the sloping, hard-to-reach site. Thanks
to its lightweight properties and ease of prefabrication off
site, the structural components were transported to site
and erected with minimal impact on the surroundings in a
relatively brief turnaround time as compared with
traditional building methods.
The exterior of the cabins is cladded in hard-wearing and
weather-resistant Eucalyptus marginata, or jarrah as it is
more commonly known, as are the sliding screens shielding
west-facing windows and doors from the afternoon sun.
Jarrah also finds a home on the interior floors as well as in
accents around the cabins.
Untreated balau (Shorea laevis) timber was used for the
decking component of the project and has been left
untreated to weather to an attractive natural silvery grey.
Stainless steel cable railings complete the deck area
without creating the impression of being closed off from
its surrounds.
Exposed timber roof trusses lend airy volume to the
interior and rafters extending from the inside out
contribute a sense of simple continuity to the project that
blurs the line between interior and exterior, a feature
underpinning the structure’s main purposes of leisure
and entertainment.
22 DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 //
SURROUNDINGS OF THE VALLEY
The main lodge includes living and dining rooms, kitchen and
bedroom, and is elegantly separated from the cottage with a
beautiful deck area that overlooks exquisite westerly views,
which on occasion boast gratifying glimpses of Table Bay.
Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves resting on
ancient soils and breathing deeply on the nearby sea air,
the lodge and cottage at Hidden Valley Wine Farm
represents a gentle and well-considered nod to its
surrounds, not only by means of a light environmental
footprint, but an exterior in harmony with its environs.
Hidden Valley Wine Farm represents
a gentle and well-considered nod to
its surrounds.
The deck area overlooks westerly views.