Pearl Bay Residence provides ocean views from South African coast

Glass sliding doors surrounding the living areas of this coastal house in South Africa can be retracted to create open-air spaces overlooking the ocean.

Australia-based Gavin Maddock Design Studio designed the Pearl Bay Residence as a holiday home for a client who will eventually retire to the spot located in the harbour town of Yzerfontein, 90 kilometres up the western coast from Cape Town.

The client requested a modern house that makes the most of ocean views from a site on a dune, which rises gradually away from the shore.

A pair of white cubic volumes arranged on either side of a garden contain three bedrooms, four bathrooms and living and dining areas that can be completely opened up to the outdoors.

"The architecture and interiors enjoy various aesthetic interests and were inspired by the west coast

landscape, which is quite textural and typified by simple white houses and cottages reminiscent of the Mediterranean," said Maddock.

The verticality of the building's double-height volumes is emphasised by strips of glazing that interrupt the surfaces of the front and rear sections.

A garage that extends towards the road is fronted by a rolling timber shutter. It adjoins a sheltered entrance to one side and a two-storey wing that contains bedrooms on both its ground and first floor levels.

The entrance leads to a single-storey gallery that connects the home's two pavilions. One side of the passage accommodates a daybed and artworks sheltered from the sun by a timber screen. The other side is lined with sliding doors that open onto the turfed area.

The main living, kitchen and dining spaces on the ground floor are positioned to look out towards the ocean through full-height windows, which slide to one side to create the feel of an outdoor terrace.

A timber deck between the lounge and the garden can be sealed off with sliding partitions on either side. When all the glazing is retracted the entire rear of the ground floor is open to the sea breezes.

"There is a seamless flow between these spaces and a sense of uninterrupted connection between inside and outside," said Maddock, who added that the opening towards the ocean "was stretched to the maximum of 14 metres using strategically placed columns."

The master bedroom and its en-suite on the first floor can also be opened up to the sea views on two sides.

A custom-made shower encased in glass was added to maximise the feeling of space in the bathroom.

Materials and furniture throughout the property were chosen to add a warm and tactile contrast to the white walls.

The texture of granite tiles references rocks along the shoreline, while the bedroom floors are made from wide oak boards.