Winelands – Private Luxury Villa In Cape Town By ARRCC Showcases A Contextually Responsive Design

ARRCC, an interior decor and design studio in Cape Town, crafted a private luxury villa in Cape Town, South Africa. This villa represents a stunning blend of contemporary architecture and natural beauty within the prestigious Val de Vie estate.

The designers sought to create a residence that not only adheres to the estate’s aesthetic but also offers an elevated living experience, showcasing the surrounding landscapes of the Drakenstein, Simonsberg, and Paarl Rock mountains.

Located in the heart of the Paarl-Franschhoek Valley, Winelands Villa embodies the essence of luxury designs, while maintaining a strong connection with nature. The estate guidelines, which call for a contemporary interpretation of Provençal and Cape vernacular architecture, required the incorporation of pitched roofs, exposed timber rafters, and natural materials like timber cladding and stone. ARRCC embraced these constraints, resulting in a villa that pushes the boundaries of elegance and comfort.

The design team reimagined the original brief to create a cruciform layout of five interlocking squares, forming a seamless transition between the villa’s living and private spaces. “The geometry of the floorplan opens the interior to views in all directions”, says the designers. By incorporating this geometric approach, the home becomes more than just a living space—it becomes a platform for experiencing the surrounding environment. This design choice also creates sheltered terraces on either side of the villa, ensuring that at least one area remains protected from prevailing winds at any given time.

Several key architectural elements distinguish this private luxury villa in Cape Town by ARRCC. The floor-to-ceiling glass sliding pocket doors are perhaps the most striking feature, allowing the views to flow uninterrupted through the living space. This design transforms the living room into a pavilion-like area, where the interior and exterior are connected, creating a fluid and dynamic living environment.

The high, pitched ceilings and clerestory windows in the central living area offer a sense of grandeur while responding to the vastness of the surrounding landscape.

– ARRCC

“The use of raw materials like timber and concrete emphasizes the home’s natural aesthetic while adding a sense of luxurious simplicity,” says the designers. The balance between these materials creates an inviting, yet sophisticated atmosphere throughout the home.

The designers created variations in ceiling height throughout the space. According to them, this was done to “balance the proportions with sensitivity to human scale, creating a cozier, more intimate spaces within an interconnecting open-plan arrangement, resulting in a casually luxurious, flowing sense of interior space”.

The lounge is entered on a bespoke, hand-chiselled sandstone plinth for the fireplace. Its raw materiality is complemented with simple, natural materials such as timber, floors and raw off-shutter concrete.

The villa’s outdoor areas are equally impressive. A floating island over the swimming pool serves as a focal point of the entertainment space, framed by an elegant canopy that not only provides shade but also enhances the sense of privacy. This thoughtful design captures the essence of resort-like living, with spaces designed for relaxation and enjoyment, all while taking in the surrounding mountain views.

In the master suite, the en-suite bathroom highlights a grand symmetrical layout featuring high-pitched ceilings. This space was carefully designed to maximize the exterior views, creating an seamless connection between the indoors and the natural surroundings.

The main bedroom ensuite is equipped with a freestanding bath, and a symmetrical design, to elevate the exterior-facing views.

ARRCC’s approach to this private luxury villa in Cape Town is rooted in creating a harmonious relationship between architecture and nature. “Our goal was to ensure that the villa felt stitched into the landscape, not imposed upon it”, says the designers. In other instances, ARRCC intentionally refined the aesthetic requirements. The exposed roof beams are clad in timber in a sleek, modern interpretation of rustic beams and the pitched ceiling has a dynamic, asymmetrical detail near its apex.

By utilizing natural materials such as timber, stone, and concrete, ARRCC embraced a luxury villa design that is both sustainable and luxurious. The expansive use of glass and the open-plan layout further emphasizes the villa’s connection to its surroundings, allowing natural light to flood the interior and reducing the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours.

While this home remains respectful of the estate guidelines, its complex
response to its setting and the client’s lifestyle requirements demonstrates
that stylistic limitations need not hamper a rich and unique architectural
response.

– ARRCC

GALLERY

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