House van Zyl

Bertus and Esme approached us to help design a three-bedroom home of around 350m², focusing on spacious living areas filled with natural light. Given that entertainment is central to their lifestyle, the living spaces were to be the heart of the home, around which the rest of the design would revolve. They were open to various architectural styles, preferring the house to evolve organically and reflect what it needed to be.

Materials were chosen to reinforce the overall architectural concept. The living area, constructed with steel and glass, creates a sense of lightness, seamlessly connecting the interior to the outdoors. It feels almost like a void, with the more private and service areas extending from it. These areas are distinguished from the living space through their unique form and materiality. The walls are clad in fibre cement boards, finished with a cementitious skim that visually folds horizontally, transitioning into the floors through the use of tiles that echo the same appearance. The fibre cement cladding continues up the side of the roof, forming a continuous fascia and ceiling that ties the structure together. These folds house the bedrooms, kitchen, bar, and service areas, all of which are 'clipped' onto the main living space.