House IN the Hill - P Casa

In 2006 we were asked to design and build a new home for a young family, after we had renovated the client's family home on a local golf course some years before.
The site turned out to be one of the most challenging that we have ever built on, but it resulted in one of the most rewarding homes for us to build for our clients.

Clinging to the slope of Lions Head, the site had an existing house which was in a very poor state and badly constructed. Our initial intention was to try to renovate this house but, after the professional engineer made close inspection of the existing structure, the best call was to rebuild.

Original Site

Original Site - tight pedestrian entrance of the busy road

---

We started the process of designing a new house on the property and made various proposals of differing scales.

Once consultation with all the neighbours and the City was taken into account and the design set, the challenge of building the house began in earnest.

---

Site access was not easy, as it was on the corner of a very busy national road, with no drop off or parking space readily available.

​An existing, old motorised funicular on the property was used to carry personnel up and down the slope of almost 40 degrees.

Site access during construction

View from the top of the site

Removing rubble from site

Small excavators to demolish and remove rubble

Retaining walls and foundations

Retaining walls and foundations

---

After a long five months of demolition, on a misty day in April 2010, the first concrete pour for the ground floor slab was done. Finally there was a level surface to work off!

Ground Floor concrete pour

Reinforcing and insulation ready for the concrete

All hands on deck as the last checks are made

Concrete pouring into the Guest Bathroom

---

The house was designed to be a concrete structure with a steel frame roof. The internal walls were largely non-load bearing which freed up the planning to allow for open living and entertainment areas.

The cabinetwork became an important layer to the house and concealed services and structure in a seamless manner. 

No adventure in life is without its challenges but, with a strong team and a trusting client, the journey can be rewarding. We certainly believe this was the case for this project.

Thank you to all who believed in this adventure!

​This bungalow-style property is nestled in granite rock and overlooks Clifton’s spectacular beaches. The use of greys, platinum and neutrals, as well as bleached oak floors, give this oasis an air of understated glamour, while the hardwood decks, stainless steel accents, and luxury finishes translate the look and feel to that of a super yacht. This, combined with palms, exotic foliage, and sculptures, make for the perfect seaside haven." Nicky Tyers

---

View from Dining Room Patio

Wynand Wilsenach Architects
Project Team

Project Architect - Hugh Paver, 
​Wynand Wilsenach Architects +27 21 424 3230
Contractor - Ashley Daniels,
Ryan Construction +27 ​21 7039317
Engineer - Liz Hart,
​Design Tech +27 21 794 0655
Quantity Surveyor - Heren Mannie,
AMPS Quantity Surveyors +27 21 551 3141
Land Surveyor - Kobus Coetzee, 
J H Coetzee Land Surveyors +27 21 674 3585
Geotechnical Engineer - John Yates,
Core Geotechnical Consultants +27 21 671 4280​
Town Planner - Willem Buhrmann,
Willem Buhrmann Associates +27 21 423 3752
Landscape Designer - Carrie Latimer,
Carrie Latimer Landscape Design +27 79 871 5572
Interior Designer - Nicky Tyres, 
LION & TYERS +27 21 761 2197

The Team

See the Completed home here