About a couple of weeks ago I met with a neighbour who informed me that he was planning to list his house on the market in November. He also asked if we would be interested in a personal viewing the property with an intention of potentially buying it. The home is approximately 6 years old and has some very interesting bespoke features. Certainly, it is far superior to most of the generic residences in the area. However, it didn’t tick all the boxes and therefore we couldn’t justify moving. Ultimately we liked the property but didn’t fall in love. I would imagine most buyers feel the same way and that is why they decide to go down the self-build route. This way (within reason) you can achieve the finish and layout desired.
In the last two years, I have written 3 books featuring world-class contemporary architecture (Modern Masters, Luxury Design for Living, Australian Architecture). This has really heightened my appreciation for modern building design and industrial materials like concrete in general. Recently, on LinkedIn, I noticed an award-winning residential property called OVD525 by Three14 Architects and was pretty blown away. Without any doubt, if the budget wasn’t an issue this is the type of home I would aspire to own.
Situated in the idyllic location of Bantry Bay, Cape Town, South Africa OVD525 has seamless panoramic views of Atlantic Seaboard and Robben Island. The property is nestled on a steep mountainside site, where the owner’s previous house occupied. This home was demolished to make way for a revolutionary masterpiece devised by Three14 Architects. Ultimately they wanted to maximize the potential for the plot including creating more privacy from nearby neighbours.
OVD525 really underscores the main differences between employing a skillful architect or using a generic building firm. This residence has some magical touches like laser etched screens, textured concrete and an abundance of glass, which frames the wonderful ocean views. Internally this theme is continued with a floating timber staircase, ingenious concrete wine storage facility. However, the pièce de résistance has to be the incredible cantilevered master suite that overlooks the external entertainment and pool areas. In my opinion, this is modern architecture distilled to its purest form.
