hillside house

Built high up on the northern slopes of the Helderberg mountains, this family home epitomises contemporary Cape winelands architecture. The building is nestled against a granite koppie and surrounded by a 100 year old vineyard. The building is conceived as a juxtaposition of a natural plinth containing the courtyard whilst grounding the building and a series of whitewashed spaces that make reference to the vernacular architecture.

This approach segments the building form to reduce the visual impact of the building in a place where the natural and man-made landscape dominates. The building plinth grows out of the koppie with is big granite boulders and is clad in the same granite sourced on site. The slow windy approach to the house terminates in the large gravel court overlooked by a big sculptural wall and concrete spout.