Saota

Invermark House

Invermark House
© Adam Letch

INVERMARK HOUSE

 SAOTA

ARCHITECTS
SAOTA

LOCATION
Cape Town, South Africa

CATEGORY
Renovation

ARCHITECTS & INTERIOR ARCHITECTS
Gilbert Colyn (1969) and SAOTA

PHOTOGRAPHS
Adam Letch, Stefan Antoni

PPROJECT YEAR
2015

MANUFACTURER
OKHA

QUANTITY SURVEYOR
SBDS

CONSULTING ENGINEERS
Moroff & Kühne

MAIN CONTRACTOR
Mansfield Construction

INTERIOR DECOR
OKHA

INTERIOR DESIGN
ARRCC and Home Owner

LANDSCAPING
Nicholas Whitehorn

Text description provided by architect.

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

Invermark House
© Stefan Antoni
Invermark House
© 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.

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. The house was purchased by architect Stefan Antoni, director at SAOTA, in 2013.

Invermark House
© Adam Letch
Invermark House
© Adam Letch

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.

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.

Invermark House
© Adam Letch
Invermark House
© Stefan Antoni
Invermark House
© Stefan Antoni
Invermark House
© Adam Letch

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.

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

Invermark House
© Adam Letch
Invermark House
© Adam Letch

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. 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.

Invermark House
© Stefan Antoni
Invermark House
© Adam Letch

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.

Invermark House
© Stefan Antoni
Invermark House
© Adam Letch


Invermark House
First Floor Plan
Invermark House
Ground Floor Plan


Invermark House
Elevation

Saota
T +27 21 4684400
Saota
109 Hatfield St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa