Cape Schanck

The Cape Schanck house is a family home designed as a refuge from the harsh coastal environment. A series of courtyard spaces enable the house to be enjoyed throughout the year. The project balances bold form-making with a series of quieter gestures that aim to embed the building in its context and create a sense of serenity and connection to the landscape.

The kitchen is at the centre of the house with the main living areas radiating off this central zone. A second living area in the north/west (family) wing can be closed off as needed. Guest bedrooms are accessed via dramatic dark corridors that also contain the powder-room and a dramatic staircase descending to the wine cellar, garage & laundry. The master bedroom wing to the south east is open to views across the landscape in both directions. Contained within is a timber-lined study, that utilises hidden doors to add a layer of privacy & retreat as needed.
Throughout the project, simple forms and carefully refined material junctions create a series of interior spaces that evoke a sense of tranquillity. The material palette blends seamlessly between internal and external spaces with a sense of permanence evoked through a range of natural materials and textures selected to age and weather gracefully. All surfaces that the user touches or interacts with on the project are in timber, metal, stone or leather.

The design of the interior creates a sense of refuge and a connection to the natural environment but comfortably balances dual uses as both a quiet place to escape the city but also as a more social place to congregate, celebrate and embrace family life.
The project provides a cohesiveness in the design language that is reflected across a range of scales. From the architecture & interior design to the custom door hardware, dining table & light fittings, all created specifically for the project. This lends the project a unique feeling of clarity which further contributes to the sense of calm that pervades the interior.