Showing posts with label Architects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Architects. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Glen 2961 House by SAOTA and Three 14 Architects

Cape Town-based studio SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects has recently completed the Glen 2961 House in collaboration with Three 14 Architects.  This three story contemporary home is located in Oranjezicht, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa.


















Glen 2961 House by SAOTA and Three 14 Architects:
“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 South East. 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.
The client appointed SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects to complete the design of a new home. The clients bravely followed their architect’s advice to see the bigger picture and re-start on a clean slate. The new home was to respond to the site and garden closely, to allow enough space for the family’s diverse requirements – whilst create separate private spaces within the house, and respond to the fierce winds which seasonally hurtle down Table Mountain yet provide a relaxed, homely character in the spirit of Higgovale. The clients selected to proceed with the Design Development and project construction with Three14 Architects. The principal objectives in the design approach was to screen the heart of the home from the South Easterly and create large semi-enclosed gardens which allow the 2 lower levels of the house to seamlessly connect to garden and terraces at all times.
SAOTA relied on robust uncluttered finishes of off-shutter concrete for soffits and various walls, painted bagged brickwork, specialized polished concrete topping and oak cabinetry and ceilings. To amplify the sense of openness of the rooms and the gardens, the living rooms have large openings of sliding aluminium doors – this openness is further enhanced by glass handrails to successfully blur the boundaries of interior and exterior. The kitchen remains the focus of the first floor area, and the main outdoor braai terrace is a generous layout with outdoor sitting and dining areas. The upper level of the house – to which one approaches on arrival at the property – accommodates 4 en-suite bedrooms with good views and a large study / library area. The garage screens the courtyards from the street.”




Photos by: Adam Letch

G House by Bruce Stafford Architects

Australian studio Bruce Stafford Architects has designed the G House project.
Completed in 2010, this three story contemporary home is located in Vaucluse, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.













G House by Bruce Stafford Architects:
“A typical eastern Suburbs harbour view site; long, narrow and sloping away from the road toward harbour and Manly views.
As the house is set lower than the road with living spaces opening back toward the street, a lightweight timber screen filters street views and creates privacy, yet allows light and ventilation to the private living spaces.  The house has two living levels; the primary living level opens out toward an elevated view and the lower living area flows out to a pool deck and private courtyards.
The sleeping level is positioned on the top level, providing privacy, quiet and commanding views. Our primary design generator was to link vertical and horizontal circulation through double and triple volume spaces and a dialog of floating planes and connected textural elements.  Finished such as polished concrete floors internally and externally, tinted concrete bench tops, raw basalt, timber and steel are assembled in a contemporary composition to facilitate easy living and a seamless flow between inside and out.”

Photos by: Karl Beath
Wednesday, April 2, 2014

House in Okusawa by Schemata Architects

This is a renovation project. The house was built during the post-war era of Japan, when the influence of western design became popular. The superficial imitation of western architecture was used for the design of common housing, as seen in so-called Provence or English style houses in Japan.
As a part of this trend, the house in Okusawa sought to imitate the English brick house. It had a triangular wooden gable, typical of the English roof, while it also included a parapet. At first sight it looks like a RC structure, but this is misleading; the wooden beams are reinforced by steel frames to lessen the number of interior pillars. While the house might be superficial, it retains a certain charm that reminds us of familiar human feelings.

Rather than denying its immaturity out of the post-war period, we have taken a gentle and positive attitude towards it and renovated it into a home suitable for today.





















Architects: Schemata Architects
Location: Okusawa Setagaya Tokyo
Project Year: 2009
Project Area: 136.46 sqm
Photographs: Takumi Ota