Resplendent views

This spectacular home is positioned on the ridge below Lions Head with 270° views of the Atlantic Ocean, Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles beyond.

The owner’s brief to award-winning architectural firm SAOTA was to design a flexible contemporary family residence on a beautiful but challenging site.

A key strategy involved creating a generous level for principal living rooms and to elevate the main level on a plinth comprising of guest bedrooms and secondary spaces such as the gym, study and garage. This ground floor is partially set into the steep site, maximising space in the living level and raising it above the road. The first and second floors were then set back, fragmented and rotated to create a central but sheltered external terrace. A glass bridge forms the link between the fragmented structures at the upper levels and lets sunlight shine between the bedroom wings and the central areas on the south side of the house.

Generous overhangs, external sliding shutters and perforated steel and aluminium eaves assist with naturally shading the facades. All doors and windows have performance glazing and are mostly full height which, together with the careful arrangement of internal spaces, ensures that the magnificent views are optimised for all rooms.

On arrival one is lead up delicate cantilevering concrete stairs alongside an immense off-shutter concrete wall which tapers dramatically towards its base – and from there into a triple volume entrance foyer. Here visitors are welcomed by a sculpture set into a water-feature and, through full height glazing, glimpses of mountain beyond. Monolithic stairs are suspended above and filter shafts of refracted morning light creating a sense of calm. The study, gym, massage room and luxurious guest bedrooms are all situated at the ground floor behind vegetation, screens and double glazing considerately layered to provide privacy and peace.

North from the main stairs lies the entertainment room with its faceted weathered copper bar, natural stone tops and custom laser-cut aluminium screen behind presenting a rich and detailed contemporary living space. The family room, kitchen, dining room and lounge flow seamlessly onto the centrally positioned external terrace which, though elevated, is sheltered by the carefully rotated bedroom wings above. A blue mosaic rim-flow pool runs the length of the terrace and brings sea and sky into the living spaces.

The main en-suite enjoys lush tranquility of all white finishes complete with an outside shower and views onto the National Park. The linearity of the dressing room is accentuated by central skylights which scoop natural light into an internal space surrounded by full-height joinery. The master bedroom is set forward as if propelled towards the view of the coast whilst clerestory glazing perfectly capture another view up to the cable station and Table Mountain. A customised fireplace with a weathered Corten conical flue and polished concrete plinth complete the luxurious live-in haven whose off-shutter concrete wall contrast with slick stained oak panelling and natural timber floors.