The work involved carefully removing poor interventions that had accumulated over the years, including a large tower-like rear closet extension and a mismatched assortment of windows. The house itself was in a state of disrepair, probably not renovated since the 1980's - peeling wallpaper, patched walls, poor bathrooms, forgotten objects scattered throughout, from a box of old dishes to stacks of books and boxes of belongings left behind.

At the heart of our approach was a desire to retain and celebrate what was already there, while introducing a wide range of materials, textures and colours - polished concrete, new and reclaimed timber, fabrics, lacquered surfaces and richly coloured Moroccan zellige tiles.

We worked closely with our client, Elize du Toit, who has a keen eye for design, space, colour and materials, with extensive experience building homes herself. The project became a rich and ongoing dialogue - a collaborative process that we strive to achieve in all our work.

The design opens the house onto a raised garden, creating a seamless connection between inside and outside. This required digging down and clearing sufficient outdoor space at the rear of the house. Internally, a layered sequence of spaces unfolds - each distinct yet continuous - creating a natural flow from room to room. The result is a home that is minimal in form yet rich in nuance and detail.

With the kitchen and garden positioned at the rear, we sought to capture as much light as possible from the south-facing street side. This led to the sacrifice of a room in order to create a double-height space. This loss of floor area was outweighed by the gain - a generous point of entry and a place to gather light.

The arrangement of the bedrooms presented its own challenge. Accommodating five children on a single floor, with equally sized rooms, meant placing the master bedroom in the somewhat unconventional position on the ground floor. Rather than viewing this as a compromise, we treated it as an opportunity. The result is a private suite facing the garden. Its entrance is discreetly concealed from the main hall, approached through an interstitial “hall of mirrors” - a transitional space before entering the bedroom and ensuite.

Throughout the project we sought to be responsive and resourceful, arriving at practical and simple solutions with care, elegance and beauty.