DESCRIPTION

The proposed residential apartment building on a street in Cape Town's City Bowl presents a unique design challenge due to its location among 19th-century Victorian houses and 1920s Art Deco apartment blocks. To ensure the new building harmonises with its historic surroundings and responds sensitively to the urban and pedestrian context, the design approach involves breaking up the structure into a series of "houses" with direct access from the street.

Taking inspiration from the architectural style of New York's "Brownstone" houses, the design reinterprets this typology to create a contemporary expression that positively contributes to the street. The Brownstone houses are used as a plinth for the building, meaning they form the lower portion on which the taller section sits. This design choice not only creates visual interest and variation but also allows for a seamless integration with the existing fabric of the street.

By utilising a series of Brownstone-like houses as the street-level component, the design creates a pedestrian-friendly environment that relates to the smaller historic buildings in the immediate context. The direct access from the street to each of the four houses enhances the sense of individuality and creates a more intimate scale, aligning with the neighbouring architectural styles. This approach promotes a connection with the street and fosters a sense of community.

To ensure that the building does not dominate the street, the higher portion of the building - the smaller apartments in the development - is set back from the street edge. This setback helps to create visual relief and prevents the new building from overpowering the smaller surrounding structures. The design aims to strike a balance between respecting the historic context and incorporating a contemporary architectural expression.

Overall, the design of the residential apartment building responds to the challenge of integrating a 7-story structure within a neighbourhood of smaller historic buildings. By breaking up the building, and utilising a setback for the taller portion, the design successfully addresses the urban and pedestrian sensitivity of the location. The result is a building that positively contributes to the street and creates a harmonious relationship with its surroundings in the Cape Town City Bowl