* Residential Architecture: De Wet 34 House by SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

Residential Architecture: De Wet 34 House by SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects: “..The site is positioned in the heart of Bantry Bay in Cape Town, South Africa, on the slopes of Lion’s Head overlooking the bay. The brief was to create a home with all the spectacle of an Atlantic Seaboard showpiece but also to respond to the practical needs of family life and to create a feeling of sanctuary..Built over four floors, the living areas are open-plan yet have distinct identities. A minimalist weathered redwood and grey-shale street façade opens on to a sculptural arrival courtyard which in turn leads to an entrance gallery. Dramatic volume, far-reaching views, sculpture and raw textures – rock, timber, concrete – are the cornerstones of this house, designed to form a canvas for the setting and develop a patina over time..The Family room, placed on the mountain side of the courtyard garden, provides for cocooned living while the double volume Living and Dining area on the sea side is more dramatic, with its rippling concrete feature fireplace wall and commanding views. This ocean fronting section is a soaring space anchored by concrete and rock – a five-tonne cocktail bar of rough-hewn granite holds down one side of the living space. Although sea-oriented, with the pool terrace to the west, the main Living area also opens onto the courtyard garden on the east, with access to both by the way of sliding glass doors which open up so completely that it’s little more than a roofed outdoor space..One descends through a double volume ‘under water’ atrium to the Bedroom floor and down another level to the Guest and Playroom areas..The interiors create an emotional and sensory journey when moving through the house. Furnishings are minimal and lines are kept simple & neutral. By utilising a restrained and raw base of textures and finishes, the décor feels natural and subtly organic; the overall ambiance is one of calm and serenity. Colour is kept to a bare minimum; the interior works predominantly with a light and shade tonal range, allowing views of the mountain, the ocean and sky, and also the artwork to introduce colour..”  Extensive glazing, natural light, views; interesting form, interior volumes, details and materiality; indoor / outdoor sensibility..

See our posts on other homes by SAOTA:

• Residential Architecture: Cove 6 House by Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects (SAOTA)
• Residential Architecture: Plett 6541+2 House by SAOTA
• Residential Architecture: Glen 2961 House by SAOTA and Three 14 Architects
• Residential Architecture: 6th 1448 Houghton ZM House by SAOTA and Antoni Associates
• Residential Architecture: Voelklip House by SAOTA and ANTONI ASSOCIATES
• Residential Architecture: Montrose House by SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects
• Residential Architecture: Nettleton 198 House by Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects (SAOTA)
• Residential Architecture: Victoria 73 House by SAOTA and Antoni Associates
• Residential Architecture: La Lucia House by SAOTA and Antoni Associates

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image: © Adam Letch; article: ”De Wet 34 / SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects” 06 May 2013. ArchDaily

* Residential Architecture: J4 Houses by Vertice Arquitectos

Residential Architecture: J4 Houses by Vertice Arquitectos: “..We were faced with a plot of land shaped as a quarter of a circumference that had a height difference of 5.50 meters on the curved side. This side has a privileged view of the sea. In addition, we were conditioned by the construction regulations which enabled us to build two terraced levels..The project is based upon two containers, which have been cut, in order to adopt a “mineral” form. These different volumes have been designed to overhang in order to avoid the use of great contention walls and to create useful spaces beneath them. They also define the entrance to the house..The first volume, located at the highest point of the plot, hosts the main bedroom and has a one level. The second volume, located at the lowest height, has two floors, beneath of which the parking area situated..Access to the house is through a sloped garden that leads to the entrance hall, space which articulates both volumes. It takes us to the more intimate area of the entrance level and to the stairs. Through the stairs we reach, in first place, the main bedroom and then the social area of the house, located at the highest level..Due to the existing coast regulations all exterior walls are painted white and contention walls are veneered with concrete tiles. Frameworks have been finished in a steel blue look..”  Interesting form, interior volumes; extensive glazing..

See our posts on two other homes by Vertice Arquitectos:

• Residential Architecture: Beach house E-3 by Vértice Arquitectos
• Residential Architecture: Beach House I-5 by Vértice Arquitectos

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image: Courtesy of Vertice Arquitectos; article: ”J4 Houses / Vertice Arquitectos” 02 May 2013. ArchDaily

* Residential Architecture: Stone House in Anavissos by Whitebox Architects

Residential Architecture: Stone House in Anavissos by Whitebox Architects: “..The concept was the creation of a residence for a family of four – the parents with two children – and the possibility of having a guest room with relative autonomy -separate bathroom. The basic demands were: the view of the sea from all four bedrooms, an office space on the ground floor for the professional needs of the couple but mostly of the mother who wanted to work and supervise the ground floor where the children would play. Another request for the design was the economy in energy consumption of the house and the possibility of enjoying the outdoor spaces throughout the year, for dining, swimming, games..The plot is located in Lakka, looking over the gulf of Anavissos. Undergrowth, rocky terrain with a gentle slope to the bay located southeast of the plot and strong northerly and easterly winds -local thermal effects, are the main features of the inhospitable natural environment..Morphology: The building is L-shaped thus protects the space of the main courtyard from the strong local winds while connecting the indoors spaces to the external functions of the residence. The ground floor is divided into two levels following the smooth slope to the sea. On the northwest side, while the indoor facilities are disrupted, the structural elements of the building are released from the main volume and continue their way until they form a protected from the north wind -with stone walls-, and the sun- with fixed wooden blinds – space..This area is the “secret” access of the family directly to the kitchen, the summer dining and rest area with shade and coolness. The secret garden of the children with a sculpture hidden behind the stone columns that barely leave the sunrays penetrate and reveal their secret. Pergolas on the south side of the house protect the inner space from the direct sunlight through the corner windows that are facing the sea. Inside the building there is an atrium with a mobile roof that slopes to the North to allow the northern light to enter and contributes to the hot air relief during the summer. It also contributes to the visual and audio communication of the residents on both floors..The semi-open space between the two children’s bedrooms that is in contact with the atrium gives children the opportunity to see inside the house from above while they are on their verandah. The northern side of the building creates a front to the north as there are only a few small openings, except one above the main entrance that even allows the view through the house to the buildings that lie behind. The wooden “sachnisi”is a historical reference to the greek refugees who migrated to the area from Asia Minor in 1922 and worked in the local salt marshes..Construction: The exterior walls of the building are made of 70cm bearing stone masonry, visible on the ground floor and plastered with colored plaster on the 1rst floor. The concrete used for slabs and columns remained visible inside and out. Great attention was given to the connection of the rough materials like stone and concrete with the other materials, wood, metal, glass, painted plaster..”  Interesting interior volumes and details; indoor / outdoor sensibility..

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image: © George Fakaros; article: ”Stone House in Anavissos / Whitebox Architects” 30 Apr 2013. ArchDaily

* Residential Architecture: Smith-Clementi Residence by Rios Clementi Hale Studios

Residential Architecture: Smith-Clementi Residence by Rios Clementi Hale Studios: “..Program: Exterior and interior remodel and addition to single-family home and adjacent yard. First floor: living area, kitchen/breakfast room, powder room, outdoor dining, garage. Second floor: master suite, family room/office, two children’s bedrooms, children’s bath, utility room. Design: Originally built in 1920s (at 600 square feet) and renovated by husband-and-wife architects in 1996 with second-floor addition, the house grew again in 2012 with the addition of a second lot, reconfiguration of public and private areas, and new garage and master suite. The resulting home now revolves around indoor/outdoor connections to the vast patio space with decorative and working gardens. The front volume maintains a refined lap siding as a signal to the house’s bungalow origins with a scale appropriate for the walk street, while the expressive back volume sports exaggerated vertical wood framing as sunshades to the glass master bedroom volume. “A house and its antithesis,” is how the architects/homeowners describe the relationship between the two elements. The house slowly reveals itself along a walk street in Venice, California, with the design juxtapositions foreshadowed by corresponding fences—a vine-covered traditional wrought-iron fence leads into an raw- wood rustic picket fence. The idea of “Cape Cod meets California Modern” is displayed in the varying rooflines that open the structure to natural light and create terraces for outdoor living. Public areas on the ground floor flow into each other and toward the outdoors. A new large sliding-glass door opens the lower level out to the generous plaza formed from linear concrete slabs with grass and pebbles interspersed. No-mow grass surrounds the front elevated entry porch, which begins the consistent black concrete-tile flooring that travels from outside through the first-floor living, dining, and kitchen areas, then back outside to the al fresco dining platform. Muted colors on the exterior are derived from the landscape and majestic magnolia tree on the property, while natural-wood trim further connects the structure to the landscape. Accessible openings—doors and operable windows—are trimmed in olive paint. The back volume addition encompasses garage and storage with glass-enclosed master suite above. Structural, vertical raw-wood framing is expressively placed around the glass volume. In additional to functionally acting as sunscreens, the beams connote a tree house and correspond to the picket fence in both materiality and attitude. Both front and back parts of the house are distinct on the ground floor—connected by the open-air dining terrace—while the upper- level, cement-board cladded “bridge” connection is more seamless from the interior, acting as a large, common space shared by the family. Immediately upon entering the home, one feels the senses of light and play. Window walls face the outdoor areas and clerestory windows express the changing levels. Standing in the entry living room, one can see clear through to the breakfast area, outdoor dining, and garage. The living room features built-in and free-standing custom benches upholstered in lively patterned fabric. The existing fireplace was re-clad in origami-like dark metal. Materials were chosen to express functionality, thus natural wood and plywood are used extensively, allowing family art and artifacts to add color and character. The open kitchen features a built-in banquette and breakfast table, sleek and simple white cabinetry, and plywood- covered exhaust hood above the working antique stove, which once belonged to noted architect Ming Fung’s mother (Smith and Clementi met at Hodgetts + Fung early in their careers). The custom butcher- block island unfolds to a playful Buffalo profile. Floor-to-ceiling plywood book and entertainment center leads to the heavy timber wood staircase. Upstairs, two bedrooms and a shared bath for the owners’ nine- and 16-year-old daughters are separated from the master suite by the “bridge”. Central to the bridge is the open family room—a hub of activity combining TV viewing, computer, and various other functions that mirror the family’s lifestyle. The flooring changes from wood to cork tiles beyond an olive-colored floor-to-ceiling door that opens to the master suite, which includes seating area, terrace, bath, and walk-in closets. A seven-foot-high plywood wall acts as headboard and privacy shield to the alley, while the CMU wall extends up from the garage below and then through the full-height glass wall to the outdoor balcony. Sliding and pocketing doors on two sides can be opened and closed as desired to manage degrees of openness. The hanging fireplace swivels to direct heat either toward the room or toward the balcony. The plywood storage wall is inset with red doorways leading into closets and the master bath. Open shelves allow a clear view into the bath, which may alternately by closed off by sliding the door all the way across. White cabinetry and positive/negative faux bois tile highlight the master bath. Obtaining the neighboring lot gave the owners the freedom to open the home up to the outside. “Even though we’re Modernists,” notes Frank, “the relationship to the outdoors in the previous renovation wasn’t sufficient.” Orienting views toward the existing 80-year-old Magnolia Grande Flora tree resulted in short vistas with long diagonals that afford views, light, and air. On the adjoining property sits an olive-colored house for Julie’s mother, who also collaborated on the landscape. Long troughs with growing vegetable are placed along the walk street..” Interesting cladding / timber sun-screen, interior volumes and details; indoor / outdoor sensibility..

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image: © Undine Pröhl; article: ”Smith-Clementi Residence / Rios Clementi Hale Studios” 01 May 2013. ArchDaily