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LOUIS PHILLIPSArchitect Louis Phillips of Louis Phillips

Architects and Associates describes his design and

architectural style as contemporary vernacular.

Lighting and space are integral to his designs. By

Denise Mhlanga

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ogether with his team at Louis Phillips Architects & Associates, the firm’s architectural designs are styled appropriately with its surroundings. Louis chats to us about the distinct design and

architecture of Lewis House situated in the Val de Vie Estate in Cape Town.

The architectural style of Val De Vie is a fusion of French Colonial with Neo-classical influences. The approach allows for flexibility to design a modern home that will blend in beautifully while staying sensitive to the urban fabric of the Cape Winelands. The style is timeless and will age extremely well.

Lewis House is a very interesting art of design and architectural style. Tell us how you chose this style and how it blends in with the environment?The style is largely dictated by the architectural guidelines, but allows enough flexibility to design something unique that complements the beauty of the estate. This is achieved while staying sensitive to the architectural heritage at Val de Vie.

The house features vaulted ceilings and unique chandeliers, what was the idea behind this?The high ceilings with interesting modern bulkheads and

crisp horizontal lines juxtaposes very well against the bold white exposed trusses. The contrast between the different ceiling finishes creates a lot of visual interest and ties in with the modern elements in the home.

The oversized chandeliers create a dramatic effect suspended from the exposed trusses and become a focal point when entering the home. The design of the house has captured the true essence of Val de Vie, combining modern influences with grand country-style living.

You chose mostly white and natural colours finishing off with antique style furnishings. Tell us how you worked at combining the design, architecture and furnishings of this house?The idea from the beginning was to create a very crisp approach in terms of finishing. The architecture lends itself towards a very classical approach and the contrasting high gloss white with antique style furnishings create a very striking combination.

I like the open-plan kitchen leading to the lounge which is mostly seen in small houses, why did you choose to do this, at the same time, have minimal furnishings?It was to create a sense of space and to maximise on the views out over the picturesque vineyards of the

The open plan kitchen design with large counter space allows for a very social approach

to cooking and entertaining with a strong connection to the lounge and dining areas.

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estate. The open plan kitchen design with large counter space allows for a very social approach to cooking and entertaining with a strong connection to the lounge and dining areas.

What do you consider to be important issues in any project you undertake, particularly this one?To understand the client’s brief completely, work closely with them to conceptualise and guide them to the best possible solution to the site and environmental conditions, as well as the architectural style. A lot of emphasis is placed on orientation and designing more energy efficient homes. Large glass doors and windows are shaded by aluminium shutters and floors are insulated to improve energy consumption.

We wanted to design a contemporary farmhouse style home, offering an escape from the bustling city without compromising on comfort, luxury and good quality living. Its design fits in perfectly with the other houses on the estate while retaining a sense of originality and individualism.

Your architectural style is described as having a lot of light and space which are integral to your designs. Please tell us briefly about this?

Our aim is to design contemporary homes with strong links to the Cape Vernacular Architecture.

South Africans love entertaining and therefore strong emphasis is placed on an open plan design approach where the kitchen becomes the hub of the home and links closely to all entertainment areas. The large glass doors create a strong link to outside entertainment areas while drawing in the beautiful vistas at Val de Vie.

By making use of features like cavity sliders, doors recess into walls, creating a very direct link to outside patios that at the end become an integral part of summer living and entertaining.

Our carbon footprint and the ever increasing building costs are forcing architects and home owners to put a lot more thought into building designs. The open plan approach and plenty of light create a sense of space and volume which is an extremely important design factor for more compact spaces.

Louis Phillips Architects & Associates are renowned for distinct designs both in the residential and commercial space. For more information contact (021) 872 9568 or email info@pvj.co.za or visit www.louisphillips.co.za

We wanted to design a contemporary farmhouse style home, offering an escape from the bustling city without compromising on comfort, luxury and good quality living.