Upper Albert is built on a large plot on a steep site in Cape Town’s city bowl, facing northeast, with panoramic views of the city and the harbour. The property was subdivided and redeveloped to create a five-bedroom family home on the upper section and two four-bedroom rental apartments on the lower.
The interiors introduce a new dimension of complexity and interest to the client's engagement with materials, often including extensive research and development, innovation and collaboration. The materials he’s chosen for the interior finishes introduce a thoughtful dialogue with the living heritage inherent in the skills of artisans and craftsmen. The polished polymer concrete floor, for example, used extensively over the living room, floors, staircases and exterior paving, is made with a green stone aggregate that is a byproduct from the historic copper mines in the Namaqualand area in the Western Cape. Rustenburg granite is used for paving in some areas, and local sandstone pavers around the pool and the dining outdoor dining area.
Solid stone features prominently in furniture pieces, too. Paarl granite, for example, was used for the striking four-piece server in the living room, a console in the master bedroom and the basins, all crafted by JA Clift, a third-generation stone mason in Paarl known for their work on the Afrikaans Language Monument.
This fusion of this home’s exploratory engagement with materiality and heritage, in conjunction with its bold aesthetics, proposes a creative solution to the city’s shifting urban context while making a striking addition to the suburban landscape.
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