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
Marsassoum Elementary School
Marsassoum, Senegal | 2020
Competition Entry
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.