Project Description: Additions and Alterations to Existing Dwelling
South Africa, Cape Town, Rondebosch

• Double Garage
  
• Store room

Our brief was to add a double garage with store room onto the front of the home. As the original dwelling was older than 100 years, we had to be extremely sensitive to the original architecture, and how the new building related to it. The garage was also not to obstruct the view of the mountain, as seen from the yoga studio behind. 

All these limitations led to a very simple design. We used a flat roof in order to keep the silhouette as low as possible. We kept the garage separate from the house, as to not impose or interfere with the existing building. We mimicked the plaster molding to tie the structures together. With regards to the garage door, our first proposal was a plain sectional overhead. However, after proposing this to the heritage council, it was felt that this didn't tie in with the original Victorian style, despite all the neighbours in the road having the same door. The council felt that what the neighbours did was a mistake, as in Victorian architecture they wouldn't have made an opening as wide, or had sectional overhead doors. We were instructed to design something that would fit in with the era of the home, and not erect something which would be viewed as a modern alteration.

Our final proposal was a tip up door inspired by a row of stable doors which broke up the large opening, these were filled with small pane casement windows. Due to the door being such a large part of the facade this design brought the overall aesthetic of the building back to the Victorian era.This finally passed the heritage council's approval.