CATHY SKILLICORN ARCHITECTS
Architecture in Cape Town

At this time of year there is nothing better than sitting in front of a fire, glass of wine or mug of hot chocolate in hand. Established in Cape Town in 2007, this practice is committed to excellence in design & delivery. A client was keen to move as he was frustrated with his home & its limitations. After 3 years in the classroom, she returned to UCT, to pursue her first love, architecture. After graduating, she worked for commercial practices in Berlin, Dublin & Cape Town, cutting her teeth on large-scale developments & commercial projects. After almost 10 years as a professional architect, Cathy wanted to move away from a senior, managerial role to a more hands-on approach to design & project involvement. She then decided to establish a small practice in the Bo Kaap, Cape Town. Now in offices in Salt River, this practice provides the full range of architectural services, sometimes working in collaboration with like-minded building professionals & other small architectural practices. The Clients, successful business people, required a spacious home close to the sea, which would accommodate visiting guests as well as their two sons. The site is located in an eco-security estate with very stringent building guidelines which can cramp design somewhat. It is awkwardly shaped, with limited street frontage, but good north-facing orientation. Conceptually the house wraps around a pool courtyard, creating a private, sheltered & sunny outdoor entertainment area. A double-storey was essential to provide the accommodation required on a relatively small site. The entrance hall links to the main passage with an elegant curve which ushers one into the main house. The guest suite is just off to the left on the ground floor, clearly separated from the rest of the bedrooms on the first floor. The main suite is at the north end of the first floor with its own shaded balcony. View looking from the main passage into the entrance hall with the main entrance doors on the left. The three windows in the curved wall animate the space throughout the day as the sun moves on its course. The pitched roof over the garage was later changed to a flat roof as building heights were exceeded. The single storey entrance hall & garage scale down the bulk of the double storey behind. The secondary kitchen, scullery & laundry is discretely off to the left. Wood from reclaimed railway sleepers has been used for the treads, with the glass & stainless steel balustrading softening the industrial look of the stair's steel structure.