BRETTENWOOD 5054
The house is in Brettenwood Estate, a gated upmarket Estate on the North Coast of Kwazulu Natal.
The estate was originally old Natalian sugar farmland and is just off the front coastline with rolling hills and treed valleys.
This house was published in LEADING ARCHITECTURE magazine.
Client was a retired couple from Johannesburg who wanted to move to the Coast and have a home where they could relax, garden, travel, entertain, enjoy the company of visiting family and continue their occupations but at a much more leisurely pace.
Open plan living with a heated pool in front, a covered terrace but still with lots of sun and sunny garden areas.
Sub tropical. Subjected to coastal winds which help to cool, but can also be substantial at times. Sheltered outdoor areas were essential.
On the prime ridge in the estate with magnificent views of the coastline to the South, East and North.
The site is on a steep slope falling in two directions.
North is to the side and rear of the property and at the top of the slope – challenging the design options.
The town planning scheme has a single storey height restriction in the rear and a maximum height restriction following the slope of the land.
The site is narrow with 3m building lines on either side and a large conservation area on the steep sloping land in front.
Estate Architecture was required to follow the design ethos of Frank Lloyd Wright – respecting the site and nature and using materials which did the same.
The house has 4 bedrooms all en suite with two downstairs matching the ones upstairs so as to be used by the owners when they are no longer able to climb stairs.
A double garage, bathrooms lead out onto private gardens, study area, private tv lounge.
Materials include clay imperial common brick, smooth and textured plaster painted, aluminium windows and doors, balu decking and screens, tiled floors and concrete roof tiles.
The cut and fill on the site was balanced in the development of the design.
Full Architectural appointment with a Structural Engineer, Quantity Surveyor with a BOQ and a Tendered Contract
The house and garden have now formed a wonderful unity where the house melts into the hillside.
The owners are immensely proud and happy with their home.
