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Architectcapedutch.com Reviews

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The Holbol gable was the earliest style to emerge at the Cape and consisted of alternating concave and convex sections.  View RESIDENTIAL-ARCHITECTS to learn more about this fascinating building style. 

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The Cape Dutch style is endemic to Cape Town of South Africa and the key characteristic of the style is white washed walls with sliding sash windows and a thatch roof with an elaborate central gable. 

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CAPE DUTCH HOUSE ARCHITECTURE

The style is unique to Cape Town, although revivalist versions have been built all across the English speaking world. Image here courtesy of ARCHITECTCAPEDUTCH This lovely manor home at Boschendal farm in Franschhoek shows all the key features of the style, namely, the central gable which is ornate and decorated, the thatch roof, the equally spaced sliding sash windows, and the white or cream walls. Some more points about each style feature:

THE GABLE

This is almost like the face of the house, it has ears eye mouth nose, but each of these is unique to each home and gives it its individual character. Go to ARCHITECTCAPETOWN for more examples of gables on manor homes in South Africa. 

THE SLIDING-SASH WINDOW

These windows take some technology to operate, because weights and pulleys etc are needed to move the top sash over the bottom sash. Even back in the 1600′s the mechanical engineering was available to make it happen, and although some of the houses have side-hung windows, the top-hung ones almost always look the most sophisticated. See CAPETOWNSPLENDOUR for other tourist attractions in the Cape. 

THE WHITE WALLS

White wash was the most available material for finishing the walls back in the 1600′s and white was a great choice to make the house stand out from the green fields and vineyards surrounding it. See GLITZYMAGAZINE for more stunning photos of lesser known hidden gems.  In modern times, some of the houses have been painted more of a cream colour, and this also works very well and is a bit of an exception to the rule. 

THE THATCH ROOF

The thatch roof is also an important characteristic of the style and originated because of the availability of grass as a roofing material and the practice borrowed from the locals in their use of it on huts. See TOP-ARCHITECTS for more articles on Cape Dutch manor homes.  Modern day ones that have burnt down have often been replaced with metal or tiles, with metal being the better choice as it harkens after some Victorianized historical houses. 

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FINEST CAPE DUTCH HOUSE 

This manor home at Buitenverwachting farm is one of the least well known in Cape Town, and yet it is certainly one of the most elegant. The gable is not overly curvaceous, the few elaborations are perfectly poised. The three urns are placed carefully with top one in a key hole sort of gab in the pediement, completely unique to this house. Image courtesy of PLOSTSFORSALECAPETOWN, where you can purchase your very own farm similar to this one and have an architect design a monor home just like this one. 

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AN  ARCHITECT’S INTERIOR IN CAPE TOWN Perfect balance and harmony were in achieved in this double volume kitchen  The all-white cupboards contrast against the dark grey splash-back wall. The wooden roof trusses have been left exposed. Designed by ARCHITECTCAPETOWN  for a farmhouse in the picturesque town of Darling South Africa.

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Is Style valid in the South African Architecture scene?

In many architects circles contemporary design is considered the only valid “style”, because it claims to develop all aesthetic value from first principles. We argue that style is equivalent to a language in architecture, and is one of the most powerful means for creativity in the field. Beverley Hui from ARCHITECTCAPETOWN examines some examples of the popular styles prevalent in South Africa today. 

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BLUE BIRD CAFE stellenbosch, designed by GS squared architects

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Architecture is becoming more layered and facades are deeper as the need to shade windows becomes mandatory.

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Architecture is hard to put in words, but lets try

B Hui

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View a larger variety of house plans that are realistic and easy to build, but great to live in .  These floor plans are designed to be for single story homes but would be easy to convert to double story. 

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Now architecture is taken to a whole new level using the best technology available from 3d modelling.  View the house before it’s built in full colour and detail, better than the final house.  Residential architecture is a passion to be pursued with excellence. 

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U-shaped house

Imagine a house where the whole design is centered around the pool.