A      D e l i g h t f u l      F U S I O N

by

Divya Agrawal

"Home is where our story begins"

Isn't that true? Homes and beings are intertwined, each internalizing parts of the other. The spaces we inhabit silently affect us in a many ways - they impact our moods, sometimes also becoming an inspiration and an enabler. Captivating homes are scrapbooks of life journeys, a coming together of the material and the philosophical. 

Home design can be an exciting and dynamic challenge for both the designer and the client - a melting pot for beliefs, aspirations and ideas. Successful solutions become stories that inspire and ones that the inhabitants enjoy and can immerse themselves in..

We bring to you today one such example : the Wright Conversion in Durban, South Africa, an extension to an existing residence by Elmo Swart Architects.

Sited in a lovely forest-like setting overlooking the Kloof valley, the extension seems to infuse a wave of energy into the existing thatched cottage. 

The clients, a couple - both writers and entrepreneurs, have a love for African abstraction; something that has beautifully translated into this addition.

Cast in concrete and clad in metal, the new structure blends well with the old cottage. Thatched planes in this very modern design give a semblance of continuity with the existing structure. Walls and roof fuse to create an abstract tubular structure with through views of green surrounds.

Embracing a tree with a sprawling canopy, this abstract composition floats above ground, cleverly and inconspicuously making space for an essential - parking.

  

Housed inside are a bedroom, two studies, an art gallery and an entertainment area. I love the abstraction in interior planes. Walls become sculpture here.

The bedroom has an attached outdoor shower mounted on a wood slatted base - another exterior element that becomes a link with the existing.

A well balanced intersection of planes and seamless merging of the old and the new (above).

A contemporary and in-context creation that must make for a very inspired living!

 All images: Copyright  Elmo Swart Architects

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat   

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