De Wet 34, Cape Town Residence, South African House, Bantry Bay Property, Architect
De Wet 34, South Africa : Cape Town House
Bantry Bay Home: New South African Residential Development – design by SAOTA
7 May 2013
De Wet 34 Residence
Design: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects
Location: Bantry Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
photo : SAOTA
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.
photo : SAOTA
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.
photo : Adam Letch
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
photos : SAOTA
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.
photos : Adam Letch
De Wet 34 – Building Information
Project Name: De Wet 34
Location: Bantry Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
Architects: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects
Project Team: Stefan Antoni, Bobby Hugill, Duke Williams
Interior Decor: OKHA Interiors
Project Team: Project Team: Adam Court
Main Furniture Supplier: OKHA Interiors
Completion Date: 2012
Photographs: SAOTA & Adam Letch
images : SAOTA
De Wet 34 images / information received from SAOTA Architects
Location: Bantry Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
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Comments / photos for the De Wet 34 – Cape Town Architecture page welcome
Website: South Africa