Located on the Kromme River estuary, that flows into the warm Indian ocean, the house has been conceptualized as a summer retreat for a family living in London. The long and narrow, 3330m2 site is positioned in an older part of the village, stretching from the street to the river. Flanked on both sides by neighboring properties, the site faces north with a south entry approach. The adjoining house, set among established trees and indigenous vegetation is one of the original St Francis Bay bungalows. The vernacular, which is a combination of fisherman’s cottage and Cape farm architecture, provided a reference point for the project. Architectural guidelines exist for the village, with white rendered walls and pitched roofs in either thatch or slate being a requirement. In addition environmental regulations prevent development within 20 meters from the river. The original house was positioned at the rear of the site, devoid of the endemic landscape and was demolished to make way for a fresh new approach. The environment is idyllic, but conditions can change unexpectedly, with the prevailing winds from the east and west being strong design determinants. The overriding design concept was to use architectural elements to make the connection from the land to the water. Linear, finger-like forms extend from the street guiding one from the approach through the house, to the living areas and external terraces beyond. In contrast to the linearity of the forms, three large sculptural chimneys anchor the house and provide the verticality required to balance the composition. Magnificent vistas of the river are viewed over the indigenous garden, which extends down to merge with the river grasses on the beach. The house is positioned at the rear of the site, with a vehicular graveled courtyard enclosed behind low walls facing the street. The thatch roofs and curved bagged walls are contemporary in a manner yet reminiscent of traditional Cape farm architecture. The buildings are single storey and provide an unimposing, intimate scale on approach. The simplicity and purity of form are inviting and continue throughout, making up the structure that informs the planning layout of the house. These “simple barn-like forms are placed in a series of parallel and perpendicular configurations to create “little werfs”, the local term for farm courtyards. These in turn create varying degrees of shelter and privacy, and integrate indoor and outdoor space, while the longitudinal barns telescope your eye towards the view. The “barns” and the courtyards between them ensure sheltered outdoor spaces, irrespective of the wind direction.

Here at Sigma College of Architecture, the Top Architecture College in Tamil Nadu, we broaden the horizons of our students by mentoring them to think out of the box.

Visit our website for more info: https://sicarch.com/