KAA Architects Take a Sea Point Abode Out to the Ocean with La Camargue Penthouse
Taking its place in a 1970s apartment building on Sea Point’s beachfront, La Camargue Penthouse draws its inspiration from the sweeping sea views. Inspired to channel the feeling of floating above the water on a luxury yacht, KAA Architects designed this home as a maritime capsule.
A trip to the marina
When the client approached the KAA Team, there was no doubt that this project would be closely connected to its surroundings. The client already owned a boat of his own, and together with the architectural team, visited the local marina to study several boats in search of design ideas. As they explored the vessels, a clear concept formed to create an authentic, marine-inspired, luxury apartment.
Elements of the ocean
KAA Architects were fortunate in that they had the creative freedom to incorporate ideas that came to them as the project progressed, adding dimensions of richness and depth of detail to the space. Polished timber ceiling panels were introduced in the main bedroom areas together with strip LED lighting, reminiscent of the interiors of the most spectacular yachts. A ‘front deck’ area was included where the entire frontage of the apartment’s ‘fore deck’ can open through sliding, folding frameless glazing. To further the experience of opening up to the ocean elements, a motorised glass roof was installed to slide open above the swimming pool.
The team was able to get special Nordic pine planking manufactured for the upper pool deck, which closely emulates the exterior decks on yachts with black strips between each plank. This choice also adds to the authenticity of the concept being taken through to every detail.
Superyacht sanctuary
Local suppliers offered an incredible range of world-class materials and finishes. The aim for the project was for every material to project a sense of quality and beauty and to have contrasts between what highlighted each individual material while staying true to the ‘Superyacht’ theme. Major material decisions included the choice of the light-stained timber flooring from Lalegno as well as the choice of marble finishes from Marble Gallery. The marble’s natural beauty adds a sense of timeless luxury to the various spaces, working to create a coherent and visually striking narrative with the timber flooring.
Beating the battles
Being situated on the 8th and 9th floor of the building presented major construction challenges. The building’s lifts couldn’t be used due to Body Corporate rules, so the contractor had to build a dedicated hoist at the back of the building. Every brick and build component was lifted up using this hoist system.
Working within an existing structure also presented significant structural issues as spaces were opened up and certain levels lifted to create better spatial flows and connections. The entire glazing system was redone with a double-glazed installation for energy efficiency, but it wasn’t easy to find a glazing system that could be installed without the use of scaffolding.
Entering La Camargue Penthouse is like boarding a spectacular and luxurious Superyacht. As you gaze out at the ocean, a sublime maritime experience exceptionally curated by KAA Architects awaits on the horizon.
This article is an extract from our 2024/25 Coffee Table Edition. Click here to read the full issue.
