House Meuller, Coetzee Alberts Architects Coetzee Alberts Architects Modern style balcony, porch & terrace
House Meuller, Coetzee Alberts Architects Coetzee Alberts Architects Modern style balcony, porch & terrace

Vitamin Sea: An exceptional German client that inspired a humble beach house which illustrates a symbiosis between site, form, material and sea-side living.

Architectural Language: True to site, True to form and True to material.

A lifelong dream of an artistic client [and her engineering husband] to have a small beach house, turned into a project which inspired retirement and the joy of permanent residence—at the sea!

This site inspired our firm to create a diagrammatic response which involved the development of a courtyard – the building called for a design true to site, taking the focus point [sea] and orientation into consideration.

This courtyard would ensure a sheltered space all year round from the harsh south westerly. A positive- happy space that is defined, and does not spill or leak out indefinitely.

The design is based on a 6x6 meter grid; some proportions were omitted/added. Simplistic architectural forms were used, carrying strong conceptual weight to complete the picture as a whole.

The path and procession through the house, focused on what the site is all about – the sea view. Moving through the architecture one is rewarded with the view of the focal point [the sea]

The eye selects and combines elements, in trying to simplify these elements the sympathetic usage of materials true to its original form was introduced; off shutter concréte, white concréte power floated floor, low E glass and aluminium sections. All carefully planned and strategically place to enhance the focal point and invite northern sun and natural light through clerestory windows to enter the house.

The pool is an integral part of the design—an evaporation cooling device during summer as well as an element used to connect the more public courtyard with the private interior of the house.

Again, the water being reminiscent of the sea outside – the view of the sea almost always selected first by the eye, and used as reference point to integrate it with the house and its architectural forms.

Internally the fittings and finishes were kept consistent throughout the entire house, simplicity and functionality being the key element in the choices made. Not to distract from the architecture, but to integrate the interior finishes with the architectural language.

In conclusion – architecture, however sensitive in its design methodology and implementation, taking a back seat to the site, its constraints and its focal point.

Prost Vitamin Sea!

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