Magnificent Myrtle

Located near the foot of Table Mountain, this apartment is within walking distance from various retail hubs and restaurants, the central business district of Cape Town, excellent schools, The My City bus service, and close to one of the main access routes that connects with the N2 freeway which is a quick connection to Cape Town International Airport.
The proximity to The University of Cape Town is 4.6km, to Mechaelis School Of Fine Art is 1.0km, and Cape Peninsula University Of Technology 1.3km.

The apartment is situated in a twelve-unit building with a distinct Arts & Crafts style. The current owners (Architect and furniture Designer) who specialize in residential space planning and high-end detail design, carefully converted the original compartmentalized single-level layout, into a loftlike space, with a new second level situated inside the original roof as well as a sculptural double volume living area. The main objective of the alteration was energy efficiency and maximum use of space. The existing ceiling height is 3m, which adds to the luxury of the apartment in these specific areas.

The new interior structure has a contemporary style that honors the historic features of the existing building. The space was created for modern living with high-end quality finishes, specified for luxury and longevity. As a home office, each fitting, finish and detail was carefully designed to showcase the owner’s brand and passion for quality and design.

A theme of triangular and diamond shapes are used throughout, which originates from the interfaces of the exposed roof trusses, as seen on the sliding door in the kitchen, on the face of the wardrobe doors in the main bedroom, the brackets supporting the headboard and floating shelves, as well as with the ‘pièce de résistance’ being the sculptural steel and timber staircase. The staircase is unique in the sense that the stringer was engineered to cantilever free at the top, while the first four steps create the counterbalance on the opposite side of its base.

The lack of physical height in the newly created roof space resulted in a novel solution for the inner space of the wardrobe. Inspired by the historic gentleman’s travel trunk, the shelves form part of the door structure, with hanging space placed deeper inside the unit. Most of the finishes and fittings are special imports, such as OLIVARI door handles, NORMAN FOSTER sanitary ware, HANSGROHE & AXOR tap units, wall and floor tiles, as well as light fittings from various brands. Flamed granite slabs were used extensively in the first-floor bathroom and scullery to craft functional geometric ledges, countertops and wall cladding.

Strategically placed glass screens in translucent white, acid-edged, and heated sandblasting, creates privacy while natural daylight is filtered into centrally located spaces. Finally, the interior composition comprises mainly of three flat colours namely white, light and dark grey that creates a neutral background to celebrate the accents of light timber elements.