Cape town

32 on Kloof, a heritage building situated along popular Kloof Street in Cape Town, has undergone a metamorphosis. Originally constructed in 1922 by prominent architecture firm Parker & Forsyth for the United Tobacco Companies Limited (UTC), the building once housed the company’s administration department. Transformed by multidisciplinary design studio, dhk Architects, 32 on Kloof’s rich history has been respected via a contemporary aesthetic that references, rather than replicates, its existing heritage.   UTC, a South African subsidiary of the United Kingdom’s Imperial Tobacco Company and the United States’ American Tobacco Company, was founded in 1904. Shortly thereafter, the company began to acquire por... More

Located in a small beachfront community in South Africa, Project La Belle Vue was a creative design collaboration between Bomax Architects, headed up by Dion Walters, and OKHA. The house was to provide a place of sanctuary and repose from the fast paced life of this international executive. From its elevated position, the house has spectacular views of both mountain and ocean which are visible from every aspect of the house. There are extensive balconies and terraces both at the front and back of the house and large windows frame the mountain and sea views from the interior – a key design element attributed to Bomax Architects. The front of the property literally unzips across the entire front façade allowing direct access fr... More

“Our first objective was to individualise the space …with a quiet opulence.”   OKHA’s latest interior project, Clifton 301, is a seasonal two-bedroom apartment in a sophisticated contemporary complex designed by SAOTA. Flanked on either side by Table Mountain’s legendary Twelve Apostles, it looks out over breath-taking panoramic views of the Cape Atlantic Ocean and is inequal parts luxurious getaway, relaxed coastal retreat and entertainer’s dream.   The architects designed the complex with deliberately pared-down, monochromatic interior shells. Not only was OKHA responsible for the interior decoration, but also designed key items of bespoke handmade furniture throughout the apartment. &n... More

The clients - a South African born couple that returned to Cape Town after residing abroad for two decades approached us to design them a permanant residencie that would be entriely in touch with nature, be simple and unique with the emphasis on natural light and space. They were specific with their brief for a home that allowed for maximum sunlight to be captured and filtered throughout the house by the day, invite the unobscured view into their home whilst maintaining maximum privacy. The architects had numerous site visits, at different times of the day, in order to get a thorough sense of the sites’ genius loci. This new residence for a family of four, is situated between the urban edge and Riebeekstrand in Cape Town. The site allowed... More

What to do with Cape Town’s incomplete Foreshore Freeway Bridge is an issue that has puzzled the city (and its citizens) for decades: to complete or demolish, and how to develop a solution that will create long-term value for the surrounding precinct and the city in general. To answer this conundrum dhk, in a 10-company partnership including Urban-Think Tank, developed CITYLIFT - an innovative master plan that proposes dropping Cape Town’s elevated freeways to the ground and lifting the city over them. This scheme would expand the CBD and provide a new neighbourhood stretching 1 kilometre along the harbour’s edge. CITYLIFT was one of six shortlisted bids in a competition initiated by the City of Cape Town[1]. The brief... More

Norval Foundation is a modern pavilion for art set against a dramatic mountain and vineyard landscape, located on the slopes of the Constantiaberg Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. The Norval family who are the founders and initial funders of Norval Foundation envisioned a world-class art museum in an exceptional location that would be accessible to the general public. This provided a unique opportunity for architecture studio dhk; to strike a balance between two motivations: protect the artwork within and maximise views of the natural landscape outside.The building’s architectural design is a pure expression of form; a bold rectangular mass, delineating its heavy-walled enclosure and light over-sailing roof. It is constrained by a linea... More

Award-winning interior design studio, Inhouse recently completed a sophisticated treatment for the three-bedroomed, double-storey penthouse apartment of The Fairmont in Sea Point, Cape Town. The interior was conceptualised to maximize the scenic views and create an ambience suited to the modern entertainer. Because the Fairmont building overlooks the Atlantic seaboard, the interior of the penthouse was oriented to offer dramatic sea views and stunning sunset vistas from every angle. The look-and-feel focused on elegance and masculinity. Inhouse started the project with a blank canvas and provided a turnkey solution which enabled full project management from line drawings right through to completion and handing over of the keys. “We started... More