Some Micro GDS...... :)

Glen Cairn

This past week I have been preparing the Glen Cairn sketch plans to suit the client’s requests as Noel had a meeting with the owner and they were impressed but wanted some extra features and more factors were to be considered such as baboon proofing the house. The kitchen is now open plan with the dining room and lounge, the dining room will open onto a veranda, a nice flow is going to be created. Bedrooms are going to open onto the veranda too. The front veranda is going to be exposed to the South East winds so we are looking at alternative ways to block off the veranda from wind such as roller screens.



Before alterations



After alterations

I’ve also been working on kitchen layouts for a house in Harfield Village York Road, it’s a tiny kitchen that the client wants to open up, but due to structural constraints the best we can do is create a sitting area that looks through into the lounge as we can’t break all the walls down. I’ve designed 2 alternative kitchen cupboard layouts and where the opening could be situated for the best feel of openness in the kitchen. The situation of the stove allows you to see through to the lounge giving it an open plan feel and including the person in the kitchen with the rest of the activity surrounding. The kitchen counter on the side of the opening can be used as eating space.

I am currently working on the boundary wall details for Glen Cairn as we are trying to get this project on the go.

 I also went to visit the Building Centre this week to go and update Noels catalogues and to find a short bath that will fit into the house we are altering in Harfield Village York Road. I also got the chance to update my catalogue J

Noel and I also went for bubblegum Milkshakes on Monday at Caffeen this really cute coffee shop in Harfield Village, and went for coffee Tuesday as well to Knead at Palmary Square. He says it’s his source of inspiration that’s why he needs to get out…..  Well I’m not complaining ….. J Really have a great boss J

Been working on the CTD details too as well as looking for precedent for the hub project but it’s quite hard to find…..

Site visits

On Monday we went to a site that Noel had completed the plans for before I started working for him, it’s a block of townhouses that he designed, really cool… They were busy finishing the underground parking/basement. I got to go into the parking area and see how the concrete is braced and I got to see the pump that is needed to drain the water out as the basement is below water level. Didn’t think you would need a pump to keep water out a basement in the middle of Claremont…

I met with the contractors who were all talking their construction talk… Confusing but I’m getting there….

I’m busy doing kitchen layouts for the Glen Cairn house… It’s all just proposed ideas nothing serious yet so I still get to play around a bit, also have to incorporate a wheelchair ramp which must be a 1:12 gradient and the stoep is more than 2m high which means I have a ramp longer than 24m! How the hell am I going to make that work?…..

 Its miz weather and really not keen on working today luckily I don’t have much work at the mome lots of tea breaks today ;)

getting serious.....

This week has been a rather successful one… I’ve completed all the plans, elevations and sections for the Glen Cairn house that needs alterations and the past 2 days Noel and I have been putting ideas together to improve the flow of the house and accommodate the requirements of the owner, it looking really good and I’m quite excited about showing the owner our propositions. We went to take a site visit to the Glen Cairn house near Simons Town last week Wednesday which was cool; we measured up a few things. The house is completely bombed but has a stunning view and a lot of potential.

Noel (my boss) and I went to Kirstenbosch gardens on Thursday to go and check out the “Untamed” art gallery situated in the middle of the gardens, it’s a stunning structure which seems to bring out ones emotions you should really go check it out, the architect is Enrico Daffonchio and the structure houses Dylan Lewis’s sculptures. The structure is basically a spiral that compliments the sculptures. The architect describes the space as “exploring the lost balance between humankind and nature”

The sculptures are quite something…. They are very abstract yet in complete proportion and you can distinguish every muscle that the human figure has, Dylan Lewis makes his bronze sculptures appear as though they moving with the dynamisms he uses  it so crazy how talented he is!

The structure consist of a living wall too which is a hedge surrounding it made from plants which are planted into plastic bottles. This was a nice refreshing experience; we went for tea after that of coarse. J Really using innovative ideas….

First week at work :)

Im currently working in an architecture firm in claremont, I have a really great boss who likes to talk over coffee meetings which is always a pleasure, I work in an office at his house with his best friend Jock, his dog, who loves keeping me company.

This is Jock :)

For the past week Ive been learning Micro GDS an awesome program and so quick to pick up... My very cool boss likes to show me how he makes compost, the squirrels and spiders in the garden as well as his cycads (which he is very proud of)... hardly feels like work! But he has taught me alot the past week, like how the council stations never work the way the signs say they do....

Started drawing up a house hes renovating in Glen Ken today which was officially the start to proper work, but very excited to get involved and putting me own ideas into this project :D


My view from the office... where I watch the squirrels....

My office :)