* 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: Fairhaven Residence by John Wardle Architects

Residential Architecture: Fairhaven Residence by John Wardle Architects: “..The Fairhaven Beach House is located on top of the ridgeline above the Great Ocean Road on the Victorian coastline (Victoria, Australia). The site enjoys panoramic views over the southern ocean and surf beach below. The house winds around a protected central courtyard, which creates an outdoor space sheltered from the harsh prevailing winds. The form of the house is coiled and stepped around the courtyard. The living area doors and an oversized sliding kitchen window open up and integrate it with the house proper during fine weather..The spatial journey through the house from arrival to view is choreographed to increase anticipation before reaching the main living space. As you step beneath a cantilevered study into a dramatic vertical entry space, you become acutely aware of a number of twists and folds along its length that make the transformation into horizontal living space. The main window aperture matches the cinematic proportions of the ocean view..Materially the house is clad in a green-grey zinc cladding, for both its longevity and natural colouring that merges with the scrub and tea tree landscape. In contrast, the interior of the house is completely lined in timber (floors, walls, cabinetry and ceilings) to form an enclosure for living that its inhabitants become completely immersed within. The eye is then always drawn back to the outlook beyond..The proportions, orientation and dimensions of windows have been tailored to particular views and to reveal internal spaces. The design process has been one akin to scenography, bringing together sensory and spatial experiences to frame the theatre of inhabitation within..”  Extensive glazing, natural light, wonderful ocean views; interesting form, materiality, interior volumes and details..

See our posts on two other homes by John Wardle Architects:

• Residential Architecture: Queenscliff Residence by John Wardle Architects
• Residential Architecture: Shearers’ Quarters House by John Wardle Architects

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image: © Trevor Mein; article: ”Fairhaven Residence / John Wardle Architects” 07 May 2013. ArchDaily

* Residential Architecture: Queenscliff Residence by John Wardle Architects

Residential Architecture: Queenscliff Residence by John Wardle Architects: “..This house acts as an optical instrument, a series of devices that frame views beyond the abutting foreshore to the south toward the Heads of Port Phillip Bay (Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia).  The most significant promenade through the site, and house itself, takes you from the street along a gently stepped path to the entry stair which then elevates you sufficiently to appreciate the view as you arrive at the uppermost level.  The careful choreography of this sequence is amplified by materiality and adjacencies.  Fine timber detailing alongside the path, woven wicker within the stair and Calacatta marble in the kitchen.  The experience on entry is private and cocooned from the exterior.  Once above, the views expand and are focussed on the horizon of the ocean to the south..A challenge for Victorian coastal houses is to reconcile the southern views with northern solar orientation. In this instance, a courtyard has been introduced to gain northern aspect to the living spaces and to capture the afternoon sun within an environment shielded from the strong southerlies. The principal bedroom is oriented south stealing ocean views through the main living pavilion and across the courtyard..The house is carefully zoned to allow for privacy between parents and adult children on a narrow site. The main living and dining space is where family and friends come together. In this way, the house is designed for a busy family life, allowing for both privacy and communal gathering.. The direct visual connection between the interior and the sea encourages the contemplation of ships crossing the Heads en route to distant ports, a relaxing retreat from work..”  Extensive glazing, natural light, astounding sea views; interesting form, timber cladding and screening, interior volumes, materiality, contextuality..

See our post on another home by John Wardle Architects: Residential Architecture: Shearers’ Quarters House by John Wardle Architects

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image: © Trevor Mein; article: ”Queenscliff Residence / John Wardle Architects” 07 May 2013. ArchDaily

* Residential Architecture: Bath House in Carinthia by Peter Jungmann

Residential Architecture: Bath House in Carinthia by Peter Jungmann: “..on the picturesque image of lake weissensee in southern austria, a cloister of pristine wooden homes and apartments as part of the alte saege recreational resort built in 2007, winning several awards in the proceeding years. just recently, architect peter jungmann crowned the complex with the ‘bath house’ located on the water’s edge as a satellite structure to the rest of the residences. the timber construction is seemingly erected from the weathered wooden dock extending activities over the water’s surface. immaculate connections add to the structure’s clean lines emphasized by subtle metal purlins framing the inset sliding glass doors and lakeside glazed facade..”  Extensive glazing; interesting interior volumes and details..

image: courtesy of alte saege; article: Designboom

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