A fortuitous find in the Mother City was transformed into the modern family home the owners had always dreamed of.

What you see if not entirely what you get with this Atlantic Seaboard home: a steely exterior belies the light and airy characteristics of the living space within. Hovering at the base of Lion’s Head, its clever and considered design was brought to life by architect Luis Mira.

Having known the homeowners for years, and aware of the type of modern family home they desired, Luis says there was nothing ambiguous about the brief. “They had always wanted something architectural, and a free-flowing space that would invite the outdoors in,” he says. “The direction wasn’t the problem – finding the right location was.” The homeowners had discussed the vision for their dream space with Luis long before they knew the site of it. And while it took a few years to find the perfect address, it was certainly worth the wait. A lucky find in Bantry Bay’s Top Road, the property has uninterrupted views of the ocean, and Lion’s Head as its back yard, which really inspired Luis and his team when they started on the project.

“I have always been mesmerised by the presence of boulders on the mountains, and Lion’s Head has plenty of these,” he says. “Using that texture as inspiration, the massing and materiality of the house – in off-shutter concrete – was the answer to the poetic connection to nature that we were looking for.” These connections continue throughout, with wooden accents, considered greenery and elements of water that link the front and back of the home.

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Beyond the entrance is an open-air courtyard with a moat-like water feature and the mountain as its backdrop. “We often introduce water features in our projects to create reflections and focal points, and to play with the air temperature of a house,” Luis explains. “A good example in this home is when you open up the courtyard doors on a hot day – you immediately feel the coolness thanks to the water.”

The most impressive body of water, however, is the lap pool that runs the full length of the top floor of the home, with views of the ocean, across Table Bay to Robben Island. The house is split into three levels, and the top floor is also the main living area, which consists of a linear open-plan kitchen, a dining area and a lounge. Interiors are minimal and muted throughout, and punctuated only by striking artworks and eye-catching light fittings.

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On the second level is the sleeping area, consisting of the main bedroom suite, two guest rooms and two children’s bedrooms, as well as two pyjama lounges and a cinema room. But it’s on the bottom floor that much of the magic happens. With a chill room, a playroom, an additional bedroom, a gym and a spa, the space has been maximised to create an area that meets all of the family’s needs, including those of the four-legged members, who have a lawn and dog “playground” that leads off this storey.

“I have to give the clients immense credit – it was their close involvement in the design process, and their direction, that led to the success of this build,” says Luis. “They have created the most beautiful space in which to live as a family, and we’re so happy that we, together with the rest of the professional team, were able to bring it to life for them.”

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For the renovation of this three-bedroom cottage located in Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard into a modern lock-up-and-go home that maximises a compact footprint, the owners had to first tackle a poorly executed subdivision.

Some years before, a second storey had been added under the eaves with a separate access along the side of the house or via an internal spiral staircase. Consideration hadn’t been paid to the cottage’s structural integrity, and taking into account the property’s heritage (it is estimated to have been built in the ‘20s) and position on the coastline, it was dilapidated and in need of major restoration.

To realise their vision and the property’s potential, the owners worked in collaboration with contractor Ian Northing of Innovation Projects, interior designer Floris Marais of Suttie & Marais Designs, and Rini Harrington and Helene Siepman, a sister duo who have experience decorating rentals with all of the appeal and comforts of home.

While the historic façade remains unchanged, the interior has been dramatically modernised. The owners consulted with a structural engineer and steel beams and joists were employed to support the upper level and allow the downstairs entertaining and living areas to be open plan.

One of the goals of the renovation was to make the home as light as possible. The ceiling was removed above the kitchen to create a double volume ceiling downstairs. Not only does it open up and connect the two levels, but it echoes the double-volume enclosed courtyard, which the kitchen leads onto.

Two of the en-suite bedrooms, study space and roof deck are accessed via a gantry with a frameless glass balustrade that assists with the overall sense of space and openness. In the upstairs bathroom, light enters through a circular window, the only hint from the street of the updated interior.

From the shiny exposed beams and joists, restored spiral staircase, original fireplace, wooden floor and window and door frames, the cottage’s key components are black, and the fittings and furnishing has followed this monochrome cue. Graphic black-and-white floor tiles have been used not only on both levels, but internally and externally, too, creating continuity throughout.

The courtyard features a plunge pool, despite space constraints, and has been fully clad in Balau wood, which serves to emphasise the height, while concealing and softening the concrete boundary wall. It also connects the exterior entertaining areas, with the rooftop deck looking down onto the courtyard and offering picturesque views of Lions Head.

Fir House, named for its location on Fir Avenue in Bantry Bay, is on Instagram (@firhousebantrybay) and available to rent on AirBnB and Private Property.

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