When Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects entered into the Melkbos project there was no doubt that their seaside project would rest next to masterpieces. The Melkbosstrand shoreline on the west coast of South Africa is pristine, and this dramatic two story home was built to fit in with the impressive glory of both its natural and man-made surroundings.
Situated at the rear of small rolling dunes, the home’s color palette looks onto the ocean and blends in perfectly with its surroundings. Beige and greys are interspersed evenly throughout the interior and out, adding a warm sense of homeyness to an otherwise colossal space.
Floor to ceiling windows minimize the distinguishing factors between indoors and out in some places while bold walls make the home feel sheltered and protected like a fortress in others. The result is a kind of balanced flexibility.
One of the home’s greatest features is its skylight, which runs along the spine wall of the home and increases the interplay between the structure’s single and double volume spaces. Double high spaces like the living room area are flooded with natural light, and the home’s second story ascends toward the top of the residence without leaving the bottom level cold or dark. Instead residents can look down onto the bottom floor from many areas on the top, creating a feeling of openness and transparency.
A deck on the top level spans across almost the entire home, looking out onto the water just steps away. As a whole, the Melkbos Residence is a perfect reflection of the water and shoreline outside. It blends in with the beach and opens up to the water, but is built with the strong resistance required of any seaside home that’s inevitably exposed to the elements.
Posted by Lauren Proctor at 24 October, 2010
This is absolute work of art. I dream of owning a home like that one day.
Comment by Luyanda Mbekela on February 17, 2013 at 7:16 am