House 18OH
Onrus | Western Cape | 2021
Situated on the foot of Onrusberg overlooking Onrus Rivier and the Atlantic Ocean, this mountainside home rises as a stereotomic structure embracing it's steep mountainous location, natural fynbos and boulders.
The dwelling, opens onto a covered courtyard taking in the northern sun and natural mountainous landscape. The open plan living room spaces have been raised from the ground to form a bridge link between the kitchen and bedroom spaces, traversing a small mountain stream flowing through the site, without interrupting it's path, allowing the water to be captured in a pond below.
The living & dining spaces enjoy an uninterrupted panoramic view of the town and beach below, while the bedroom spaces embrace the quiet mountain side views.
Project Under Construction
Engineer
Contractor
Container Cottage 7SB
Botrivier | Western Cape | 2022
Located on a hillside plot in the heart of Botrivier, overlooking the valley in the distance to the east, this container cottage is perched on a stone wall configured around a garden courtyard & pool.
The cottage consists of two separate containers linked with a covered patio & timber roof deck, overlooking the garden courtyard and valley views. The first container, when entered, consists of the kitchen & dining spaces linked to the covered patio outside. The second container, more private in nature, contains the bedroom, dressing & lounge spaces.
The courtyard can be closed off or opened to the elements and is rounded off with a timber roof deck above with a panoramic view over the town & landscape.
Planning Approval
Engineer
House BW
Wellington | Western Cape | 2023
Located on Poplar Grove Farm in the Drakenstein Mountain range overlooking the quaint winelands town of Wellington. The house is situated in its natural fynbos setting overlooking the valley below towards the north with the mountains at its back to the South.
The house is constructed of low maintenance face brick, which matches the colour of the mountain sandstone, covered with an anodized aluminium sheet roof at the same angle as the mountain slope. The open plan living space lives out onto a large covered patio which has a panoramic view of the incredible natural surroundings. High level clerestorey windows allows for framed views of the mountain rage to the southern side without affecting functionality of the spaces.
Planning Approval
House 31AV
Vermont | Western Cape | 2022
This bagged & painted brick house is situated in the beach side town of Vermont with views of Onrusberg towards the north next to a massive Milkwood tree to the south.
The house is configured as a series of spaces, varying in height and volume, from the low fully glazed entrance, past the study with a slightly higher ceiling into the tall open plan lounge dining space. At the end of the nearly double volume space is the kitchen and braai area with lower ceilings to create a feeling of warmth.
The living spaces, outdoor spaces and bedroom spaces are located around a garden courtyard in a u-shape, to protect these spaces from the vicious South East winds in summer and cold North Western wind in winter.
As the house is located in a mostly suburban setting, the spaces live inwards, while being fully openable to the courtyard to blur the lines between inside and outside.
Unbuilt Project
House 4AK
Kleinmond | Western Cape | 2019
Located in a small town on the South coast of the Overberg overlooking the majestic Palmietberg Mountains to the North and the tumultuous Atlantic Ocean to the south, House 4AK stands in an indigenous fynbos garden with a decked courtyard at its heart.
Designed as a retreat for a family where inhabitants are encouraged to interact via the central courtyard which forms the link between the various spaces and volumes.
The living space, kitchen and courtyard is intersected by the bedroom block, which cantilevers over the front door to protect it from the elements, while announcing its presence to the street. The interior spaces are orientated towards the views and the sanctuary of the courtyard, which also acts as an extension of the living room and outdoor dining area, reinforcing the ability to include the courtyard as part of the living spaces. The main bedroom overlooks a fynbos roof garden set to enhance the view by seemingly integrating the building with the natural beauty of the mountains.
Engineer
Contractor
Videography
Photography
House 3AR
Camps Bay | Western Cape | 2020
New prefabricated metal clad extension to an existing slate roof house built in the 70's.
Project Under Construction
Engineer
Contractor
Quantity Surveyor
Marsassoum Elementary School
Marsassoum | Senegal | 2020
The site constraints made it clear that the school would be best suited to a courtyard arrangement, with the existing Moraceae tree as a focal point it’s heart. This arrangement provides security without the need for additional fencing. Classroom “huts” are located around the perimeter and opens into the courtyard, expanding the extent of the interior spaces and improving the flexibility of space use for various teaching & extra-curricular activities.
The offices & library are placed at the entrance of the school, with one classroom directly accessible for after-hours use and activities, preventing visitors from needing to move through the courtyard when visiting.
The kitchen, ablutions, water storage tanks & veggie garden are located on the far end of the courtyard centralising the water intensive functions and allowing these to work together: water (tanks), food (garden & kitchen), compost (latrines).
The materials selected for this project aim to encourage the use of recycled & locally available materials that make use of local construction methods, that have been around for hundreds of years, in combination with low-tech systems available today.
Competition Entry