Author name: wowwpaige

Cape Fountain

Location: Cape Winelands Status: Unbuilt In Collaboration with Lorenzo Nassimbeni The semi-circular shape of the Cape Fountain serves as a focal point at the end of the garden that holds the visitor in its embrace. The graphic element was inspired by the Delft Plate, a cultural artifact of the VOC, or Dutch East India Company. …

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Pickwick Apartments

Location: Saltriver, Cape Town Status: Unbuilt In collaboration with Kevin Fellingham Architects Affordable housing stock in the inner city of Cape Town allows young people to live centrally. This multi-storey mixed use housing scheme will accommodate 440 residential units, shops, restaurants, offices and three levels of basement parking. Set to become a new node in …

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Agrico Upington

Location: Upington, Northern Cape Status: Completed 2021 Open City was approached to design a new flagship building for agricultural company Agrico in Upington, one of their busiest branches. The brief called for a building that incorporated a retail shop, office space, workshop, and warehouse. The building was envisioned as two interconnected shed structures, drawing inspiration …

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Simonsberg House

Location: Mostertsdrift, Stellenbosch, Western CapeStatus: under construction The brief for this project was to design a family home inspired by the principles of the Bauhaus and the work of South African modernist architect, Pius Pahl.  The site is located in Stellenbosch, with a small nature reserve at the Northern boundary and panoramic mountain views over …

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Open Co Workspace

Location: 163 Bree Street, Cape Town Status: Completed 2019 A historical building dating back to 1778, a time when Bree street housed craftsmen such as builders, coppersmiths and shoemakers, the dilapidated 163 Bree street building was renovated in the 1990’s by Cape Town architecture firm Van der Merwe and Miszewski Architects. It served as their …

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River House

Location: Onrus, Western CapeStatus: Completed 2017 This weekend getaway on the bank of the Onrus River lagoon is situated in a grove of protected White Milkwood trees, the largest of which are estimated to be over four hundred years old. The client requested a ‘minimalist box’ with simple, unfussy interiors, optimised space utilisation, and maximum …

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Klein Welmoed Wedding Venue

Location: Klein Welmoed Farm, Western Cape Status: Unbuilt Usana Farming Estate tasked us with the development of a new footprint for the historical Klein Welmoed farm that would also streamline the various activities on offer. We created a sequence of gardens, each with a unique identity, that lead the visitor to the reception space where …

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Loft House

Location: Tamboerskloof, Cape Town Status: Completed 2020 This Victorian Villa dates back to 1904 and occupies a large, steeply sloping site spanning two roads. In order to create a better relationship between the house and its surroundings, we designed a series of strategic interventions in the garden. A series of low terraces were introduced to …

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Boulder House

Location: Betty’s Bay, Western Cape Status: Completed 2013 Press: Architecture SA 2014 This family retreat, nestled among rocks and indigenous fynbos, has spectacular views over the rocky Atlantic shoreline. Wooden decks float above the vegetation, softening the transition between the building and the landscape. Inside, a large open plan living/dining/kitchen area encourages the gathering of …

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5 Rowan Lane Restoration

Location: Kenilworth, Cape TownStatus: Completed 2018Press: House and Leisure Feature 2019Visi: Building an Icon Open City completed the restoration of No. 5 Rowan Lane, an iconic modernist residence designed by Adele Naudé Santos and Antonio de Souza Santos. Completed in 1972, the house is celebrated as one of the finest examples of the Modern Movement …

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