November is the month for celebrating and showcasing every firm and project that was victorious at the inaugural SCAPE Award of Excellence. These names are raising the bar for excellence in the local architecture and design industry, standing on a stage set for international acclaim. In partnership with Infinity Surfaces and alongside our Impact Partner Oggie, we present the top firms and portfolios in the country for 2024. Introducing the Winner of Residence of the Year: Chris van Niekerk Architects
Mountain House is derived from a primordial investigation into shelter and dwelling. Designed by Chris van Niekerk, this home sits at the foothills of the Constantiaberg mountain range. By placing equal importance on both occupant and environment, with an emphasis on the use of simple, unadorned materials, the house prioritises everyday requirements and processes of life in a measured way.
Located on a site spanning 4000 m² in a semi-rural location, Mountain House finds itself nestled in a manner that suggests it is neither elevated nor buried, straddling a central location on the site.
Defining the body
There are three parts which define the body of the new house, each distinct in its position and relationship to the other as well as to the topography of the site. The parts are positioned in a U-shaped ‘embrace’, relating to use and requirements of privacy and separation, while responding to prevailing winds, solar orientation, and outward views.
The first structure, a modest guest bedroom and work area, appears to emerge from a slope because of an extended garden wall gently disappearing into the landscape. Another wall forms the sides of a pool and level plane, an un-programmed space for looking out. Hovering above and askew to this structure is a heavy concrete canopy. From the second part, one can see as far outward as False Bay, but also through the house towards Table
Mountain to the north.
A sudden step-down in the soffit at the threshold of living and kitchen spaces signals the connection to the third part. The spaces and light here are modulated; one’s eyes adjust to the subdued light and are drawn to the gleaming steel surfaces of the kitchen. To the left, a smaller aperture requires one to pause and look out enroute to the main bedroom. The lower level is reached by a modest staircase linking the upper level to the main entrance. The spaces here are different in character, more introverted and enclosed.
Structure and landscape as one
In using limited materials with recognisable qualities of the earth, the challenge was to achieve an alchemy where finish and structure are one and the same. This was possible by allowing each material to be fully present with its inherent colour and texture. Consequently, the entire structure reads as a homogenous body against which the sun and seasons will render their effects strongly as the structure ages. As it continues to grow and surround the house, structure and landscape become one, allowing the house to resonate with its landscape.
“A beautiful house that understands the context and topography with a unique and strong expression, humble enough to leave the strength to nature and its surroundings. A really great exercise of architecture, sophisticated in every aspect.” – Héctor Esrawe, Director of Esrawe Studio
This article is an extract from our November issue. Read the full issue here.
