House Dauboin is in the Swartland, Western Cape. On arrival to the site via the flat farmland one is surprised by the sudden opening up of vistas across the valley as the topography started gently falling away. It is on this edge of the subtle change in topography that the site for the house was chosen. The house, with regular forms and low and close to the ground, blends in to the surrounds on approach. The site starts sloping downwards from the entrance area eastwards and the house responds to this with a couple of steps down to the living area and the roof gently sloping upwards mirroring the fall of the site.

The view is framed at the top by tilting screens, which when open serve as a slatted pergola for shading – and when closed provide security. Unlike the approach side, the view sides to the east and north show a clear delineation of ‘built’ and ‘nature’ by the clear solid lines of the deck edges raised above the site. The separation to the inside is gently layered however, first by the change in floor texture and door openings, then the row of columns defining the rectangular form (which can be closed with the shutters) and finally with the deck edge.

On plan there are three distinct areas, each roughly rectangular; the garage, the services and entrance to the centre, and the living and bedroom areas. Internally the floor to ceiling heights and the corresponding volumes reflect a hierarchical order, with the entrance and service areas under a low flat roof, the bedrooms a higher ceiling sloping up towards the views, the volume in the living area increasing as on steps down a couple of steps from the bedroom area or entrance.

The building methodology is a mix of post & beam and conventional timber framing. The living area has solid timber elements provide a logical clarity in the structure, with infill panels of either timber frame clad with fibre cement cladding or  glazed elements.  Large opening sliding and sliding folding doors make the most of the rural landscape.

Contractor 

Knysna Timber Homes

Consulting Engineer

Poise Consulting Engineers

Awards

ITFB Silver Award 2012

Published 

Home  January 2014  Nature at it’s best

Plans 

Floor Plan

Elevations