PROJECTS
Inside the kitchen with its rustic feel.
Verster decided to install a dry toilet that would not be connected to the municipal sewerage system, and designed the bathroom at the lowest point of the house.“ The slope of the site means it was particularly suitable to gravity-flow your grey water [ from shower and basin ], and design irrigation to work with the slope. The bathroom [ and toilet ] is at the bottom of the house and therefore the house is connected to the land by the water,” she says.
This house is the perfect blend of function and elegance, and timber and steel. But why wood? For Verster, wood is easier to work with on such a steep slope and small site and wood means there is less wastage and a lighter footprint.
“ Also, I like the idea of wood. Brick is very heavy. So, I went for an integrated approach of steel and wood,” says Verster.
The biggest challenge Verster faced when building her house was where the various materials met and joining them together. The design had a lot of intricate details, and so she often had to improvise on site to make a plan.
“ I wanted a small house and a large garden. The site was quite a challenge because of the steep slope. But luckily, because the building is so small, there is a low risk of landslide. While they were building the house, I was living on site with my dogs in a wendy house for two years so I was very involved in the process along the way.
“ I did a lot of work to find the right architect for the project,” Verster explains.“ Initially I spoke to two others but I didn’ t connect with them. Eventually I reached out to Jacques.”
Jacques Cronje, of Timber Design, is well-versed in complicated projects and was immediately on board. When he and Verster met, she explained her idea to him and he sketched a drawing for her in his notebook.“ Afterwards, he showed me the drawing and I said,‘ That’ s my house!’”
Verster only had an idea of the basics that she wanted so she gave Cronje a lot of freedom but he understood her ideas.
CHALLENGES
Building a house is never without its challenges. One particular challenge for Verster was that it took quite a long while for the plans to be approved by the local council.
The steel frame was also a challenge. After the frame went up, they realised it was exactly 1m too high. There was a misunderstanding somewhere between the plans, the engineers and the manufacturers. So, the entire house frame was put in straps like a big – albeit wireframe – hippo about to be airlifted, ratcheted up and they cut a metre off the bottom before lowering it again slowly and welding it in place.“ We did it in a day and it was very nerve-wracking. The guys really knew what they were doing!”
This house is the perfect blend of function and elegance, and timber and steel.
// APRIL / MAY 2017 25