Home South Africa – September 2019

The bedroom, the only

one in the cabin, opens

up onto the front deck via

a large sliding door.

Bed base from Weylandts

Cathy chose aluminium frames for the cabin doors and windows.

“They offer an unobtrusive option and seal very well; there are no

draughts at all,” she says.

I wanted an interior that was soothing

and cohesive with a nod to minimalist

Scandinavian style. – Cathy

Nadia Lüdi of Swissline Design says a timber

frame built like this one can last for three

generations or more.

“There are houses in Europe built with these

materials that have lasted more than 200 years,”

she says. “The Siberian larch façade is UV-oiled:

UV oil penetrates the wood, keeping it flexible;

the surface is rendered water- and dirt-repellent.

Thereafter, no sanding is required and it rarely

needs to be touched up with an oil or sealant, if

at all. The timber is kiln-dried, so it’s of a good

quality and can contend with various climates.”

Building with timber is not as limiting

as people think. “There’s a 80m-tall

building with a timber frame in Scandinavia!”

says Nadia. When securing a home loan for a

timber build, Nadia says banks are obliged to

assist on condition that the builder is registered

with the NHBRC (National Home Builders

Registration Council) and conforms with SANS

(South African National Standards) regulations.

The cost of a timber-frame build varies,

depending on design and accessibility to

location, but typically starts at R8 000/m^2.

[FOR A TIMBER FRAME]

48 home September 2019