Camps Bay Beach

Cape Town, South Africa

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Tygerberg Faculty of Medicine Auditoriums

Camps Bay Beach

Cape Town, South Africa

Firm

MLB Architects

Type

Residential › Multi Unit Housing

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2013

SIZE

10,000 sqft - 25,000 sqft

BUDGET

Undisclosed

CAMPS BAY BEACH

This project has an interesting story as our client only wanted to buy one upper plot for his own home… but had one concern – loss of 180º sea views, if the property in front was developed. He thus also purchased the front property to develop both as an integrated project, while keeping one unit.

A good example of medium-density achieving two, often conflicting goals: allowing more units (five vs two) to enjoy a spectacular location (sea/mountain views, long hours of sunlight, ocean breeze, beach access, sunsets, etc); while preserving everyone's views, with hardly any impact on neighbors.

The design is consciously grounded into the slope, with a low profile. Though rezoning was required for a multi-unit complex only five units were designed where six or more, smaller 'cheek-by-jowl' ones could have been housed. The result is lighter, as units clearly enjoy wider frontages, with gaps for privacy, light & space.

A client as end user, has benefits, as more effort goes into desirable concerns, eg quality of finishes/services; sustainability; wider frontages for maximum fenestration; greater gaps (more in-out flow, privacy, outdoor space & gentler overall impact); bigger units (250 to 375 sqm each).

Pedestrian access for the 2 top units is off Strathmore, via private courtyards on the mountain side... Also, access off a side lane, under a security office - the glass 'front door' below it, opens right into the project’s backbone, an 'internal street' connecting all units, garage & path to the beach.

Vehicular access is also from this side lane. Following recent MLB designs for multi-unit complexes, cars are kept out of sight, on a below-grade level treated like another 'entry point' in architectural terms (finishes, lighting & sea views). It serves 15 bays & 5 stores, plus all vertical links,as glass lifts & stairs to units.

All 5 units have extensive front, side & back open spaces (courtyards, decks & gardens) with individual rim-flow pools & water features, while open-plan living levels are transparent; Generous,12m frontages for the smallest units with wide living-dining plus family rooms. Kitchens all have yards, sculleries & pantries.

Upper levels have 3 bedrooms en-suite with balconies or terraces, for the smallest units. All bathrooms have windows and separate wc's, showers & baths, with mostly glass partitions. Main bedrooms have dressing rooms, while the two top units have 4 bedrooms en-suite each & studies, plus domestic self-contained flatlets.

Following the client brief - most forms, spaces & elements belong to a minimalist type of modernism...while the choice of natural finishes & lighting, bring warmth to the design. Extensive landscaping was also applied with removal of aliens, replaced by indigenous vegetation on external spaces - decks, internal street & roofs.

Xico Meirelles

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Camps Bay Beach

Cape Town, South Africa

Other Projects by MLB Architects

Tygerberg Faculty of Medicine Auditoriums

Camps Bay Beach

Cape Town, South Africa

Product Spec Sheet

Collaborating Firms

Team