Contact Artefacts please if you have any comments or more information regarding this record.	Menu Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon		House Duke uMhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal STEFAN ANTONI OLMESDAHL TRUEN ARCHITECTS (SAOTA): Architect

Date: 2010 Type: Homestead Status: Extant 2011 SAIA KZN Award for Architecture

See more photographs Project Description The client’s brief was to design a contemporary and sleek yet comfortable house with large internal and external living areas which ensured privacy while maintaining an integral relationship with its immediate and distant natural environment. The house is positioned on a double site located in the Hawaan Forest Estate. This affords the house the ability to runs parallel to and engage with the nearby indigenous forest edge. The plan of the house is a linear arrangement of spaces which angle towards the forest on either end to provide enclosure and privacy. A central high volume Living space forms the hub of the house while various ancillary spaces clip onto or extend from this space. Linear spine walls separate and define these areas. The building has the appearance of being broken up into identifiable functional components linked by overlapping roofs. Off- shutter bedroom wings anchor the building, define and enclose the external Living area while a covered terrace area seamlessly blends internal and external spaces. Living and Bedroom spaces connect to the forest to the East with large openings, maximizing light and view. The use of robust, low maintenance and contrasting materials including textured plaster and timber cladding helps to further define the various elements of the building. Off-shutter bedroom boxes contrast with the steel framed glass pavilion area. Internally, neutral tones and light wall colours add to the relaxed elegance and airiness of the house while focusing on the exterior. Large travertine tiles ensure a seamless transition between internal and external spaces. Working within the Estate guidelines, the design has created a low key, comfortable yet elegant building resulting from the desire to form a symbiotic relationship with its site and natural environment. Award for Architecture Citation The clients wished for large yet private living areas, both inside and out. Consequently, these lie at the heart of the development facing the forest, with a high volume glass pavilion from which beams project to visually integrate the exterior, space defined by the angled and solid residential ends to the composition. The jury was impressed by the quality of the living spaces, the robust yet impeccable detailing, the understated simplicity and modesty of the house, and the integration of the landscaping. All truncated references not fully cited below are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon.