APARTMENTS & TOWNHOUSES - Jenny Mills Architecture

LIVING IN FRESNAYE AVENUES

ALPHEN AWAKENED

SUSPENDED CLIFTON APARTMENT

ATLANTIC VIEWS

SEA POINT APARTMENT

This delightful property in Fresnaye was bought by clients who decided to approach an architect to renovate. The house, designed to sell was to now reflect the style and warmth of the new owners. Looking for experience in architecture and interiors in Fresnaye they selected JMA. The motivation to relocate was to design for more appropriate scale living and be close to their children with their new young families. An exciting new phase of life. Time for new design influences. They wanted to customise the new property and bring in the essence of what they loved about their larger house. Get-togethers with family and friends are a big part of their lives. They required a variety of spaces for living and entertaining.

Reconfigured spaces improved open plan living. The architects perspective here was critical. One of the must-haves was a tasting and drinks station at home. The new cocktail bar with views of lions-head resulted. We made careful changes to lighting and ceiling design. We believe the ceiling is your fifth elevation and a crucial design element—likewise, the importance of lighting design to the atmosphere.

Wall colours and finishes considered with custom-designed interior cabinetry. Within this core furniture pieces were selected between JMA and the clients. The result is a coherent design to brief—a fresh perspective for the new phase of the clients' lives.

Photography: Alecia van Aarde

PROJECT TEAM

The Alphen Estate, a very important heritage site in Cape Town, built new townhouses as lock-up-n-go investments. Their slogan is “Where 21st century luxury embraces centuries old charm”... but they never saw our client coming!

Harald Lochotzke, a developer from Germany, bought such a townhouse with the vision of transforming it completely. We could not change any of the exterior (as it had to blend with the historic style of the estate) but the interior is all completely new. We removed virtually all the internal walls and every level - every room in fact - got its own distinct character and identity.

The ground floor is open plan living with a dark and dramatic feel - this then opens up to a compact but fantastic, light, airy and landscaped garden with an outside shower and sauna. The middle level has two very unique, funky, fun and colourful en-suite bedooms and the top level is ‘heaven’ - with light colours and cedar wood finishes.

Our client worked closely with us and the builder on site to ensure everything was as he wanted. All fittings were specially chosen and are very ‘designer-like.’ Walking in there, one cannot help but smile, which is what we were doing all project long.

Comments from Nicholas Whitehorn: "I have worked with Jenny on a few projects in Cape Town as a landscape consultant and designer. I find her passion and appreciation for complimenting gardens with her designs quite refreshing and stimulating. Jenny has a natural need to want to combine urban living spaces with green sanctuaries in harmony with each other.

In Print features: Habitat July / August 2016 | Online Features: Jul Aug 2016 Feature
Photography: David Ross Photography | Photography Styling: Kate Boswell

PROJECT TEAM

Suspended Clifton Apartment Living Area design by Jenny Mills Architects - View from Sitting Room

Suspended Clifton Apartment Living Area design by Jenny Mills Architects - View across Terrace

Suspended Clifton Apartment Living Area design by Jenny Mills Architects - Sitting Room with views

Suspended Clifton Apartment Living Area design by Jenny Mills Architects - Fireplace in Sitting Room

Suspended Clifton Apartment Living Area design by Jenny Mills Architects - Living Room

The transformation of this Clifton residence into the Suspended Clifton Apartment was an interesting journey. The residence had undergone a previous makeover which was aimed at creating views through the eradication of beams and columns that were originally installed in 1926.

This second makeover involved the challenge of turning the old apartment into a modern, minimalist, cutting-edge residence. It included the demolition of the old patio area overlooking Clifton to incorporate it into the living space, and engineering a new deck that would cantilever out over the ocean.

The entire front of the residence now consists of frameless, stackable floor-to-ceiling glass doors, which when open create a wide access to the cantilevered patio which in turn is laid with large slabs of white marble. This enhances the extraordinary view while creating the effortlessly weightless feel of the balcony. Glass balustrades offer unimpeded views.

The minimalist interior involves a fusion of textures and tones: the designer decided to relax her typically structured interior signature and chose an ‘eco-chic’ look in the form of furniture and sculpture to match the internal architecture. The master bedroom and adjoining shower and bathroom resemble a small boutique hotel suite and were designed to include the views, and yet offer privacy. The overall result is an extremely space-effective design which at the same time creates a feeling of spacious luxury.

In Print Features: Habitat March / April 2010 May / June 2012 | Photography: Elsa Young

Inspired by colour and the views of the Atlantic Ocean the clients came to brief JMA and do a few whirlwind days shopping before heading back to Germany. A successful project done by remote control the clients entrusted us to manage the finances, contractor and most decisions. Love for Africa and Cape Town is clear as is the origins of the one party being from Equador. The Cape Holiday home is in regular use and more so now after retirement from a busy Hamburg family business.

Client Comments:

Deutsch - Jenny Mills architects haben die komplette Renovierung und die Einrichtung unserer Wohnung in Seapoint übernommen. Die Organisation war absolut professionell . Wir wurden mit viel Geschmack und Gefühl fürs Detail beraten. Das gesamte Projekt lief ohne Probleme. Das war umso bemerkenswerter als wir über ein halbes Jahr die Arbeiten nur aus Deutschland begleiten konnten. Jenny Mills architects hat unser volles Vertrauen gewonnen. Wir können sie nur wärmstens empfehlen !

English - "Jenny Mills Architects took over the complete renovation and interior design and decor for our apartment in Sea Point. JMA is exceptionally professional. We were advised with the look and feel for the interior design and detail. The entire project ran smoothly, without any problems arising. What has been so remarkable is the fact that we were in Germany for more than half the year during the project duration. Jenny Mills has won our full confidence. We can only highly recommend her!"

Photography: Cara Val Photography