B I S H O P S   V I E W

Guest House - 1 Gatesville Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town

2001

 

The site is situated in the heart of Kalk Bay ‘village’.  The site is small (± 450m²), located at a kink in the stone cobbled street and flanked by a cottage to one side (adjacent to the Mosque) and a stepped servitude, which in turn is flanked by a fine double story veranda house dating from the early 20th century.  The delightful green lawned ‘village park’ of Kalk Bay is situated across the street.

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The requirement of the brief consisted of; 4 bedrooms (and bathrooms), lounge, dining, living (open plan), a yoga studio, steam room, off-site parking and a pool.

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The town planning guidelines in Kalk Bay are prescriptive, the objective being to control the overall ethos of the environment.

In response to these parameters, the requirements of the brief and the constraints of the ‘tight’ site – the form of the building is structured as a simple rectilinear shed.

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The structure itself consists of concrete columns and slabs, with an adjacent steel frame and timber deck veranda.

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The ‘shed form’ is perpendicular to the lie of the contours, elevating the structure in order to gain views over the roof tops, to the harbour, False Bay and the mountains beyond.

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The orientation of the ‘shed form’ allows for a ‘North light’ aspect for the internal spaces, and provides also for views up towards the back of the site - to Kalk Bay Mountain above and beyond Boyes Drive.

All the rooms, including the main bathroom, access the verandas via full height glazing.  Timber shutters, strategically screen certain openings in the South façade for privacy.

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The South façade is clad in timber, intentionally anticipating the affects of weathering in due course.  The decks to the North side, adjacent to the pool, are similarly constructed of timber.

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The internal and external spaces are ordered by the regular structural grid, which is expressed in the rhythm of the exposed roof rafter bearers, which have been elevated above the concrete frame eaves beam to allow for a continuous strip of clerestory lighting.

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External paved areas are cobbled (a continuation of Gatesville road itself), and the street boundary wall has been constructed out of stone sourced on the site, with reference to the stone walling prevalent in the neighbourhood.

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The planting scheme is intentionally indigenous.