Fife Residence is a perfect example of how a new building should always become an enabler of a certain experience, be that of a living environment, an office or a social/public environment.

In our industry, creating a new dwelling to intuit the spirit of place as well as the spirit of its owners and inhabitants poses exciting challenges, and none more so than Residence Tsas.

Situated on another large Johannesburg stand, Fife Residence is conceived of two co-dependant monolithic volumes, shaped and eroded by each opposing volume to create the various living spaces as required by the client.

The base of the house is ‘carved’ from concrete, while the upper volumes are monolith is constructed and shaped with mild steel panels, columns and beams, harking to an industrial age with a contemporary make-up.

The house is designed around privacy, with the ability to unfold for social occasions. The ground floor is arranged into private and public zones, set to the eastern and western zones of the house, with public free-plan spaces arranged in-between these. Guest bedrooms, gymnasium, home theatre and the study line the western arrangement, while the kitchen, dining and family room populates the east with the Lanai to the north.

The first storey consists of private bedrooms all of which are oriented to receive enough northern light, while the main bedroom occupies the eastern wing of the house, separated by a double volume over the family room. The pyjama lounge and fourth bedroom is shifted to the southern end of the building, with a double volume courtyard separating them from the other bedrooms to allow light to fill the interior, allowing for a comfortable living environment.

From its conception as two opposing volumes, forms and materials, the character of the house has taken shape, with this thread running through the spine of the house, from exterior to interior, resulting in a delicate balance of discretion and openness.

See more of our projects here: https://www.nicovdmeulen.com/contemporary/