House Berndt DesaiResidential

This project is located on a busy street corner in De Waterkant. The owners required a “work-from-home” arrangement where they would operate a small business in one portion of the house, while living in the remainder. The accommodation is arranged over three floors, including a roof terrace. Double volumes and open staircases connect spaces over different floors and allow natural light to penetrate the deepest parts of the site. An open steel staircase is the main feature of the interiors. The exterior facade treatment of the house provides clues regarding the dual nature of the building. Although respectful to the heritage aspects of its surroundings through the inclusion of architectural elements from its colonial past, it also showcase the inherently contemporary nature of the building and its interiors, by providing contemporary clues on the two street facing facades.