orientation, with large windows to track the passage of
the sun and provide an abundance of natural light.
Guillaume identified the natural mound as the
perfect position to tuck the structure into, with the
first-floor bedrooms sticking out above it. The charac-
teristics of the site determined the aesthetic: Dark brick
cladding blends in with the landscape, and a bright,
light interior echoes the white sand of the quarry.
“I believe in design that responds to the site and its
conditions,” says Guillaume of his functional approach
to setbacks and apertures. The deep reveals, for exam-
ple, allow the sun to penetrate deep into the interior
during winter, whereas in summer they prevent the
harsh sun from entering.
In the brick cladding, Guillaume expresses more
of his adherence to the “honesty of materials” philos-
ophy: using the most appropriate building material
without hiding or faking its nature. “My clients want-
ed something light and simple internally, and for the
structure to disappear into the landscape,” he says.
“I thought of painting the building a dark colour, but
had to consider fires and how heat would affect it. In
the end, brick just made sense. It’s a beautiful little
building block.”
They settled on the rustic Corobrik Cape Stormberg
for its colour and rough texture. It’s also from the area,
readily available and, perhaps most importantly, it is
a robust material. The entire building is clad in this
dark clay brick skin, which serves the house thermally,
requires no maintenance, blends into the surround-
ing landscape and, most importantly, protects the
structure from veld fires, a frequent occur rence in the
area. A set of steel outer doors conceals the wooden
front door, so in case of a fire the structure should
remain intact.
There may be no frills, but this doesn’t mean there
isn’t detail. Not added detail, Guillaume is quick to
emphasise, rather unobtrusive accents of the build-
ing’s construction. “I wanted to be honest with the
structure,” he explains. “With the expansion joints, for
example, we turned a brick in a different direction to
make a subtle pattern.”
Look a little closer at the interior finishes and you’ll
see a complex puzzle of joints and junctures: The skirt-
ing becomes the reveal for the window, which becomes
the doorway, which becomes the cupboard. Guillaume
worked with candidate architect Theodor de Goede on
refining the detailing, which was adapted on site with
insights from the Quali-Projects con struction team
and cabinet maker Herbert Robinson.
Easy to maintain and easy to live in are two hall-
marks of a practical holiday house. The deft joinery
throughout offers warmth to the intensely minimal
interiors and plenty of nooks, as requested by the own-
ers, to store everything out of site. Modernist master
Le Corbusier’s famous quote comes to mind: “A house
is a machine for living in”.
pinard.tv79 visi.co.za JUNE/JULY 2019