SAOTA, Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects, South African design studio, Cape Town office news

SAOTA Architects, South Africa

Contemporary South African Architectural Practice – Cape Town Design Studio News

post updated 16 May 2024

SAOTA Architects News

SAOTA Architecture Design News

15 May 2024
Water’s Edge House, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

photo : Tom Ferguson Photography
Water’s Edge House, Sydney, NSW property
Located in a historical suburb in a treed residential enclave close to Sydney’s central business district, this project’s unique position overlooking the harbour guided every design choice, from the orientation and organisation of living spaces and outlooks to the material palette and landscaping. Creating a continuous interface with the water was critical, as was maximising the ocean views, while maintaining optimum privacy.

4 Nov 2022
Glyfada Apartment Building, Athens, Greece
Design: SAOTA with interior architecture by ARRCC

photos : Vangelis Paterakis & Panagiotis Voumvakis
Glyfada Apartment Building Athens

26 May 2022
LuxeRivers, Chongqing, southwestern China

image : PrismImage
LuxeRivers Chongqing Apartments
LuxeRivers is a new mixed-use development in Chongqing, a large city in southwest China, on a steep site at the confluence of the Yangtze and the Jialing Rivers. It comprises several blocks of luxury apartments, residential villas and commercial elements woven together with extensive infrastructure, including bridges and tunnels, landscaping, paths, water features and recreational facilities.

SAOTA Architecture Designs – latest additions to this page, arranged chronologically:

SAOTA has produced two short architectural films. These videos explore two Cape Town projects and follow the homeowners – SAOTA Directors Stefan Antoni and Greg Truen – as they shed light on the design process, the powerful connections to the landscape and how these buildings enable a better quality of life.

Tour Stefan Antoni’s private villa overlooking the iconic Clifton beaches – the architect narrates the story of Beyond, a private residence in Cape Town:
SAOTA // Beyond from Tatjana Meirelles Penfold on Vimeo.

Experience indoor outdoor living at the foot of Table Mountain – Kloof 119a, a private residence in Cape Town:
SAOTA // Kloof 119a from Tatjana Meirelles Penfold on Vimeo.

3 Oct 2021
SAOTA launches first monograph – LIGHT SPACE LIFE

image Courtesy architecture studio
SAOTA launches first monograph
SAOTA, award-winning international architecture studio launches first monograph by Thames & Hudson. The book celebrates thirty-five years of innovative residential design from around the world from Lagos to Los Angeles, including houses from the dramatic South African coast where it all began. Twenty-three residential projects from around the world are featured in the book.

12 Jul 2021
SAOTA Projects Shortlisted for WAF 2021

La Reserve in Dakar, Senegal
Two SAOTA designed projects – DDS in São Paulo, Brazil and La Reserve in Dakar, Senegal – have been shortlisted as finalists for the World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards 2021:
SAOTA WAF 2021 Awards

27 May 2021
Silver Pine, on the Moskva River, Moscow, Russia

photo : Sergey Ananiev
Silver Pine House Moscow
In the Russian Capital of Moscow, this contemporary home Silver Pine, set among the pine woods on an island in the Moskva River, introduces a revolutionary outward-looking approach to the city’s architectural tradition.

2 Feb 2021
Horizon Villa, Cape Town, South Africa
Design: SAOTA and ARRCC

photo : Adam Letch
Horizon Villa, Cape Town House
Overlooking the Atlantic Seaboard in Bantry Bay, Horizon Villa boasts the perfect balance between luxury and comfort.

3 Feb 2021
Buffelsdrift Restoration, Ladismith, South Africa
Architects in Collaboration: Jaco Booyens Architect & SAOTA

photo : Adam Letch
Buffelsdrift Restoration, Ladismith
The restoration of the ensemble of heritage buildings on Buffelsdrift, west of Ladismith in the arid Klein Karoo region of the Western Cape, by SAOTA and Jaco Booyens Architect, a specialist in clay buildings, recently won the gold medal at the seventh edition (2019) of the international Domus Restoration and Conservation Award in Italy.

13 Jun 2019
Uluwatu House, Bali, Indonesia
Design: SAOTA

photograph : Adam Letch
Uluwatu House Bali
This resort‐inspired home in Bali’s iconic surf destination, Uluwatu, puts a contemporary spin on local materiality and vernacular architecture to create a luxurious modern holiday home deeply attuned to its beautiful surroundings.

30 Apr 2019
Neulander Quarree Precinct, Hamburg, Germany

image Courtesy architecture office
Neuländer Quarree Precinct Competition
The winners of the architectural competition for the new Neuländer Quarree precinct in Hamburg have been announced. The jury awarded SAOTA – an architecture and design firm from Cape Town, South Africa, BeL Architecture from Cologne and ROBERTNEUN Architects from Berlin.

23 Nov 2018
KLOOF 119A Residence, Cape Town, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Project Team: Greg Truen, Dov Goldring, Jaco Bruwer, Ian Cox and Puja Patel

photographers : Adam Letch & Micky Hoyle
Lion’s Head House
A new family home located below Lion’s Head – views of Table Mountain, Signal Hill, the city of Cape Town and the mountains of the Boland and the winelands in the distance.

18 Oct 2018
Beyond Residence, Cape Town, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni and Leah Johnson

photographers: Adam Letch & Stefan Antoni
Beyond Residence in Cape Town
Perched on the shoulders of Lion’s Head, the home springs from a steep hillside that drops off to the famous sequence of Clifton’s white beaches to the Twelve Apostles beyond.

20 Mar 2018
Restio River House, Pringle Bay, South Africa

photograph : Adam Letch
Luxury Home in Pringle Bay

10 Apr 2018
Double Bay House, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

photograph : Adam Letch
Contemporary Home on Sydney Harbour Shore
Timber cladding, plastered mass walls, a wood-clad soffit and the exaggerated cill of a bay window punched through the sail screens, are layered into further planes. This game creates depth in an otherwise linear façade and provides privacy whilst maximising light and views to the park.

28 Feb 2018
Bora Headquarters, Mallorca, Illes Balears

photograph : Adam Letch
Bora Headquarters
This relaxed resort-style home and work environment, a short flight from Germany, blends into its surrounding bucolic landscape through its use of form and locally inspired materials.

29 Jan 2018
La Lucia, Kwazulu Natal (KZN), South Africa

photograph : Karl Beath
La Lucia in Kwazulu Natal
This La Lucia beach house perfectly balances luxury and comfort with its uncomplicated spaces. Situated on the Kwazulu Natal North Coast just south of Umhlanga, the house is gently nestled between protected milkwood trees and enjoys beautiful ocean views – both of which inspired the design. Bronze aluminium sliding screens cocoon the house and offers protection from the elements as well as providing a unique the signature look for of the building.

8 Nov 2017
House Invermark – Awarded 2017 CIFA Commendation, Cape Town, South Africa

photo : Stefan Antoni
House Invermark by SAOTA
Located in the leafy suburb of Higgovale, set below the iconic Table Mountain, House Invermark overlooks the city and harbour of Cape Town. Forty seven years after receiving a medal for excellence, House Invermark has been awarded a prestigious Commendation from the Cape Institute for Architecture (CIfA), in recognition of noteworthy contributions to architecture.

26 Oct 2015
OVD 919 Residence in Bantry Bay, South Africa
Design: SAOTA

photo : Adam Letch
OVD 919 Residence in Bantry Bay
The Brief was to create a spectacular home which encapsulated the expansive 360 degree mountain and sea views. Though views out were paramount this needed to be carefully balanced with the required privacy from within.

11 Aug 2014
Sprecher House, Hangklip, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

photo : SAOTA – Stefan Antoni
Sprecher House
The owner’s brief was to design a house inspired by its indigenous surroundings, which is part of the recently established Sea Farm Private Nature Reserve.

2 May 2014
Yzerfontein Residence, Pearl Bay, Yzerfontein, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

image from architects
Yzerfontein Residence
This property is architectural and minimalist while at the same time being harmonious and complementary to the West Coast vernacular.

22 Aug 2013
Melkbos, Cape Town, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

photo : SAOTA
Melkbos
The form and siting of the house is strongly orientated around views. On entering the house, the focus turns completely to the sea facing side of the home, which opens up and embraces the landscape of the West Coast.

22 Aug 2013
Glen 2961 Residence in Cape Town

photo : Adam Letch

25 Jul 2013
Kloof 151, Clifton, Cape Town, South Africa

photo : SAOTA
Kloof 151
The client’s brief was for a family home with a guest and a ‘work-from-home’ wing spread over two levels. The home was not only to enjoy the dramatic views of the Clifton beaches, but also to engage with the natural fynbos on the slopes of Lion’s Head to the North.

7 May 2013
De Wet 34, Cape Town, South Africa

photo : Adam Letch
De Wet 34
The site is positioned in the heart of Bantry Bay in Cape Town, 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.

5 Apr 2013
Head Road 1815, Cape Town, South Africa
Design: SAOTA Architects

photo : SAOTA
Head Road 1815
The house includes three storeys accommodating three en-suite guest suites on the ground floor, with a plant area and a staff flatlet at the rear. The first floor is the main living level, with a large living room and dining room opening to a covered and uncovered pool terrace. The kitchen is positioned to enjoy views through the glass roof towards Lion’s Head. The entrance hall is accessed by gentle steps from Head Road preceded by a glass-roofed external lobby space. The second floor accommodates the master bedroom, dressing room and a light-filled en-suite with views over the pool below.

14 Feb 2013
St Leon 10, Cape Town, South Africa

photo : SAOTA
St Leon 10
This home was designed for a family with 2 young sons who wanted a house which simultaneously created spaces for casual intimate family occasions or large get-togethers.

7 Dec 2012
Plett 6541 + 2, The Robberg, Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

photo : SAOTA
House at Plettenberg Bay
The clients requested a 6-bedroomed family home with understated elegance and quiet grandeur, indoor / outdoor living spaces and uninterrupted views, with a ”lived-in beach-house” feel. The beach-front site is subject to hot summers and moderate winters, with a cooling on-shore breeze, from the Northeast. Taking advantage of the large dune across the majority of the site, the views were maximised by elevating the living levels to above natural ground level.

22 Nov 2012
Head Road 1816, Cape Town, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

photo : Adam Letch
Head Road 1816
The clients required a four bedroom home for their young family, the design of which had to encapsulate all the qualities of luxury open-plan living while still providing a homely environment. The practicalities of the site – steepness and town planning restrictions – were key initial drivers in determining the parameters available.

29 Oct 2012
Glen Higgovale, Cape Town, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

photo : Adam Letch
Glen Higgovale
The clients who lived in an existing house on the property needed to rebuild the house in order to suit the demands of their family. The site on Glen Avenue in Higgovale faces in a Northerly direction, with its boundaries on the Southeast. Although the wind conditions are tough, 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.

14 Aug 2012
Clifton House, Cape Town, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

photo : SAOTA & Adam Letch
Clifton House
The clients, a British couple living in Cape Town, requested a six-bedroom, seven-level home that makes the most of the site, the views and the mountain. The lower levels of the existing structure were totally remodelled while the upper level was demolished to allow for two new levels.

9 Jun 2012
La Lucia, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

photo : Karl Beath
Durban Holiday House
The brief called for a relaxed family holiday beach house on the North Coast of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The building has been sensitively designed to gently nestle between protected milkwood trees, in an area that has strict environmental controls. A sense of arrival is enhanced by an austere entrance flanked by two of the milkwood trees.

SAOTA Architects – Key Projects

Buildings by SAOTA Architects listed chronologically by addition date:

6 Apr 2012
Vame, Pearl Bay, Yzerfontein, South Africa
SAOTA Architects

photos : SAOTA
Pearl Bay House – added
The clients: a couple from New York building a holiday home in the Southern hemisphere for summer vacations. Aware of contemporary architectural trends, they requested a sculptured building with clean horizontal lines, large areas of glass and screens creating a space that is ‘open as well as private’.

6 Apr 2012
Radisson Blu Hotel Dakar, Senegal, western Africa
SAOTA Architects and Antoni Associates

photo : Jon Case & Vauban Radi
Radisson Blu Hotel Dakar
“Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and tucked away in the Fann Corniche, an area that houses exclusive villas and international embassies, the new Radisson Blu Hotel is a contemporary expression of Senegalese Style,” says Project Partner, Greg Truen. The brief called for 180 suites, a fine dining restaurant, an all-day restaurant, conference facilities, meeting rooms and admin facilities.

6 Apr 2012
N Tunde 2, Lagos, Nigeria, western Africa
SAOTA Architects

photo from architects
Lagos Property
Designed for an owner / occupier the development comprises a Penthouse Villa for family use, 8 rental apartments, a clubhouse with recreational facilities, an office suite and a small mosque.
Situated in Ikoyi, Lagos, the building is typical to the area in that it provides all of its own infrastructure, power generation, water purification, black water treatment etc. but atypical in the high quality architectural solution that it provides

2 Apr 2012
Mankgaile Primary School, Limpopo, South Africa

photo : SAOTA
Mankgaile Primary School
Sponsored by PetroSA, this school commands the focal position in the village and replaces a very rudimentary set of dilapidated buildings.
The main entrance is placed at the end of a linear spine which arranges the central public square and two open air classroom courtyards containing nine rooms on two levels.

19 Mar 2012
Voelklip Beach House, South Africa
SAOTA Architects and Antoni Associates

photo : SAOTA & Adam Letch
Voelklip Beach House
The sloping site facilitated planning of the split-level living space allowing the lounge, dining and all bedrooms to have sea views. Fairly restrictive Title Deed and Planning conditions also contributed to the nature of the building.

19 Mar 2012
Nettleton, Cape Town, South Africa

photo : SAOTA & Adam Letch
South African House
This family home defines itself primarily by the way the principal living spaces at level two relate to the surrounding portions of site. This floor accommodates two generous living rooms, an open plan kitchen and triple volume dining room. Virtually all rooms open out to adjacent terraces or garden spaces, which allows the house to fully utilize the small property.

19 Mar 2012
Dakar Sow House, Senegal, western Africa
SAOTA Architects and Antoni Associates

photo from architects
Dakar Sow House
Situated on a cliffside overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Villa Sow in Dakar, Senegal was completed in 2011, with SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects, the Architects and ANTONI ASSOCIATES doing the Interior Decor. The house was designed for a Senegalese businessman and his family and built on the site of an old World War Two bunker and on the edge of a cliff.

Cove 6, Pezula, Knysna, Western Cape, South Africa
SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

photo from architects
Cove 6 House
The owner’s brief was to design a house inspired by its indigenous fynbos surroundings, which is part of the recently established The Cove, a Private Estate, with the Pezula Golf Estate as backdrop. The site, located on an exposed cliff edge overlooking a rocky peninsula, is perched above a dramatic seascape with spectacular views.

Cove 3, Pezula, Knysna, Western Cape, South Africa
SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

photo : Micky Hoyle COURTESY OF VISI
Cove 3 House
Situated in The Cove at Pezula Estate outside Knysna, on the West Coast of South Africa, this family home enjoys sea views to the East and South. The idea was to create a living space with a single roof element floating over it that responded to the slope of the site. The roof is set at a high level so that it is hidden from the living space, creating the illusion that one is surrounded by the landscape.