House Invermark by SAOTA Awarded 2017 Cifa Commendation

House Invermark
House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

Located in the leafy suburb of Higgovale, set below the iconic Table Mountain, House Invermark overlooks the city and harbour of Cape Town.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

Forty seven years after receiving a medal for excellence, House Invermark has been awarded a prestigious Commendation from the Cape Institute for Architecture (CIfA), in recognition of noteworthy contributions to architecture.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

Designed originally for himself by respected South African architect Gilbert Colyn in 1969, it was inspired by two iconic modernist houses, namely that of Phillip Johnson’s 1949 Glass House and Mies van der Rohe’s 1951 Farnsworth House.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

The house was purchased by architect Stefan Antoni, director at SAOTA, in 2013. By this stage it had reached a poor state of disrepair and featured numerous inappropriate alterations and additions totally out of character with the language of the building.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

Had it not been for Antoni’s intervention, it might have faced demolition as its heritage status as being a fine example of contemporary architecture was not recognised.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

SAOTA’s careful and sensitive alterations and additions have returned the threatened building back to its original state, enhanced its overall composition and significantly refined the living experience to bring it up to date with contemporary living.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

In the living area, kitchen, main bedroom and bathrooms, structure and screens were removed to facilitate improved flows associated with contemporary living.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

Changes were also effected to the exterior spatial configuration involving the relocation of the swimming pool from the darker mountain side to the sunny street sea view side, providing much needed privacy from the street.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

This freed the courtyard to become a family garden planted with lawn and a row of Elderflower (Sambucus Nigra) trees running along a new linear water feature. The street interface was also substantially redesigned.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni

These changes have served to significantly augment the experience of the house relative to the landscape. It is noteworthy that when Colyn viewed the house after its completion, he was suitably impressed. Source by SAOTA.

House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni
  • Location: Cape Town, South Africa
  • Architect: SAOTA
  • Project Architects: Stefan Antoni and Leah Johnson
  • Quantity Surveyor: SBDS
  • Consulting Engineers: Moroffe & Kühne
  • Interior Design: ARRCC and Home Owner
  • Landscaping: Nicholas Whitehorn
  • Main Contractor: Mansfield Construction
  • Photographs: Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni, Courtesy of SAOTA
House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni
House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni
House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni
House Invermark
Photo © Adam Letch and Stefan Antoni
House Invermark
Plans and Elevation

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