houseM
forest town, johannesburg
Our clients bought this unusual modernist house in 2023, then an eye-sore that had been gutted and left abandoned for many years. What started as a ‘fix me up and sell on’ project, became a work of love and a journey to their forever home. Understanding from us the heritage importance of the house, we worked closely to update and rejuvenate it to suit their needs while retaining the original character and historical value of the work.
houseM was designed in 1985 by Pancho Guedes, architect, artist, sculptor and professor in South Africa, Mozambique and Portugal, whose idiosyncratic work drew on local materials and skills, exploring organic forms of indigenous construction while being rooted in modernism.
Having studied under Guedes and finding resonance with his work – the link to art, the hand-made quality, curvalinear forms and raw materials – making the restoration a joy that required both the liberty and confidence to change and update things (small rooms, a poky entrance), a sensitivity to judiciously add new pieces (atmospheric uplighting to the vaults, brightly coloured mosaics) and care to lovingly restore and protect existing elements (joinery, sculptural chimney, a ceramic mural).
3 garages and an ‘invisible’ cottage were added at street level, disguised below a planted roof above that has circular cut-outs for light, ventilation and an ancient Ginko tree.
The vaulted roofs of the original buiding were all retained, patios covered and convoluted spaces simplified to have views through to new garden rooms with ponds.
Facebrick was matched, original doors restored and copied; brick floors exchanged for timber and local terrazzo and hand-glazed tiles introduced.
The client and KOA worked closely to shape the interiors from choosing materials and colours throughout, to detail furniture layouts and selections including fabrics, lighting and fittings.
The result is a contemporary up-market home, with beautiful interiors, that seamlessly works with the original fabric.
houseM was designed in 1985 by Pancho Guedes, architect, artist, sculptor and professor in South Africa, Mozambique and Portugal, whose idiosyncratic work drew on local materials and skills, exploring organic forms of indigenous construction while being rooted in modernism.
Having studied under Guedes and finding resonance with his work – the link to art, the hand-made quality, curvalinear forms and raw materials – making the restoration a joy that required both the liberty and confidence to change and update things (small rooms, a poky entrance), a sensitivity to judiciously add new pieces (atmospheric uplighting to the vaults, brightly coloured mosaics) and care to lovingly restore and protect existing elements (joinery, sculptural chimney, a ceramic mural).
3 garages and an ‘invisible’ cottage were added at street level, disguised below a planted roof above that has circular cut-outs for light, ventilation and an ancient Ginko tree.
The vaulted roofs of the original buiding were all retained, patios covered and convoluted spaces simplified to have views through to new garden rooms with ponds.
Facebrick was matched, original doors restored and copied; brick floors exchanged for timber and local terrazzo and hand-glazed tiles introduced.
The client and KOA worked closely to shape the interiors from choosing materials and colours throughout, to detail furniture layouts and selections including fabrics, lighting and fittings.
The result is a contemporary up-market home, with beautiful interiors, that seamlessly works with the original fabric.
