House Beyers, Betty's Bay

Abstract

Nagenoeg (1998, also called House Beyers), a weekend house for drs. A.D. and Louise Beyers at Betty's Bay, Western Cape. For this house, contextual and spatial informants fostered a cantilevered support system. The concrete work is pure in its expression of the supporting structure. The house is proportioned on a 1130mm bi-gridded system. House Beyers has a central living space framed by cellular bedroom spaces on the western and eastern edges. Light is used to effect, and rooflights around the chimney give focus to internal spaces. The chimney flue is centered at the roof pinnacle, and the surrounding roof sections are glazed to establish a connection to the sky, while allowing the flue to be read as an independent element. Corner windows are employed as generators. These allow diagonal views towards the sea and mountain, but an introverted spatial quality is maintained for the living space. Fagan thus mediates between external contact, the sheltering nature of the vernacular tradition, and the necessities of modern life.