Cape Town-based studio SAOTA—Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects recently completed the Glen 2961 House in collaboration with Three 14 Architects.
This three-story contemporary home is in Oranjezicht, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa.
Glen 2961 House By SAOTA And Three 14 Architects:
The clients lived in an existing house on the property. They needed to rebuild the house to suit the demands of their family. The site on Glen Avenue in Higgovale faces north, with its boundaries on the Southeast. Although the wind conditions are harsh, the site’s moderate slope allows the design to engage with different levels of the garden adjacent to the areas of the three-level lounge.
The client appointed SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects to complete the design of a new home.
The clients bravely followed their architect’s advice to see the bigger picture and restart on a clean slate. The new home was to respond to the site and garden closely. It allows enough space for the family’s diverse requirements. While creating separate private spaces within the house and responding to the fierce winds that seasonally hurtle down Table Mountain, it also provides a relaxed, homely character in the spirit of Higgovale. The clients selected to proceed with the design development and construction project with Three14 Architects. The principal objectives in the design approach were to screen the heart of the home from the South Easterly and create extensive semi-enclosed gardens that allow the two lower levels of the house to connect to the garden and terraces at all times seamlessly.
SAOTA relied on robust, uncluttered finishes of off-shutter concrete for soffits and various walls, painted bagged brickwork, specialized polished concrete topping, and oak cabinetry and ceilings. To amplify the openness of the rooms and the gardens, the living rooms have large openings of sliding aluminum doors. Glass handrails further enhance this openness to blur the interior and exterior boundaries successfully. The kitchen remains the focus of the first-floor area. The main outdoor braai terrace has a generous layout with outdoor seating and dining areas. The upper level of the house – which one approaches on arrival at the property – accommodates four en-suite bedrooms with good views and a large study/library area. The garage screens the courtyards from the street.
Photos by: Adam Letch
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