Kloof 119A, Cape Town

This SAOTA designed family home in Cape Town has views that would take your breath  away – Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Signal Hill, the city of Cape Town and the mountains of the Boland and the wine lands in the distance. Architecturally, the strongest gesture is the inverted pyramid roof, which creates a series of windows on the upper level. At night, the inverted pyramid roof glows, creating a giant light box, adding to the intrigue. The residential project is arranged on three levels. The top level has the strongest views and holds most of the living spaces – the open-plan kitchen, dining room and lounge. The family’s work and bedroom spaces are on the mid-level, with the garage, gym, cinema and guest room on the lower level. Each level has its own set of gardens and courtyards that extend from the mountain surface down against the house, thus intensifying the relationship with nature. This also lets in plenty of light and air into spaces that would otherwise be dark and isolated. The house presents a traditional Cape style stone wall to the busy city street that it sits on, revealing very little about its interior. The dark exterior breaks down the mass of the building pushing it into the background, while the interior colours are muted, with washed oak adding some warmth.