With a reputation for designing trailblazing buildings across the globe, architect Greg Truen and his partner Nancy Kashimoto chose to use a different design muscle when they took on the renovation of a 200-year-old farmhouse. Instead of putting their own spin on the structure, or adding a contemporary extension, they breathed new life into the property in the most respectful way.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/1260699916.jpg]
"The idea was always to keep what I found on the farm as pure as possible,' says Greg. Lured by the charming farmhouse in Buffelsdrift, a small farming district nestled in the Klein Karoo (Little Karoo), Greg embarked on a design and renovation process that spanned four years and would transform the neglected property into a working olive farm. The property included a muddle of outbuildings that Greg also saw potential in, such as the old wine store, which he early on identified would be given a second life as a guest house.
The farm is in the middle of South Africa's Klein Karoo, between the Swartberg and Langeberg mountains. The area had intrigued Greg when he explored the region as an architecture student three decades before.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/049A49YtG1680596150509.jpg]
One of the challenges he faced, was that some of the additions to the existing buildings weren't done sensitively. They can verify the farmhouse dates back to 1852, when what is now the kitchen would have been a small flat-roofed structure. 'I wanted to strip the farmhouse back to what it was, and let it sit in a less encumbered way in the landscape', says Greg.
The historical buildings had been constructed by the poured earth method and been covered with various types of plaster over the years. Greg chose to collaborate with architect Jaco Booyens who had both experience in working on remote sites and a particular interest in building with clay and earth.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/2151202262.jpg]
Peeling back the layers was the first step. 'We stripped the walls first to assess the state of the mud structures, which were then repaired with clay collected from the property's irrigation dam, which had been the source of the original material used, Greg explains. Since the floor was in bad repair, Greg sourced local poplar floorboards, and the original yellowwood ceilings were cleaned. The poplar pole roof structure was fixed and all original dowel fixings were kept. Fortunately, the original thatch structure had been retained and a specialist thatcher was able to restore the roof, consistent with the Cape Dutch vernacular architecture style.
Gables and sash windows were repaired and internal poplar shutters were added. Greg chose to let small ghosts of the house's past remain, such as poplar lintels above the doors, leaving elements of the construction history visible. The commitment to the restoration's purity scooped SAOTA and Jaco Booyens Architect, a gold medal at the International Domus Restoration and Conservation Awards in Italy.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/9995051995.jpg]
Thanks to the thatch and the thick earth walls, the thermal qualities of the building are amazing. 'Even when the outside temperature soars to 40 degrees Celsius, the house is cool inside,' says Greg.
Greg designed a series of terraces to 'knit everything together. 'It was really just wild veld, so I wanted to shape the spaces to make sense with the buildings. The idea was to grow a new orchard around the house to create a series of livable spaces, he explains. The area is now densely planted with olive trees, which will eventually form an avenue, and shroud the farmhouse with shade and privacy.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/5955998999.jpg]
Working with Fritz Coetzee from Insite Landscape Architects, Greg used the irrigation system to channel water from the borehole to a stone-lined reservoir, which doubles up as the farm pool in the hot summer months.
Greg carefully considered the design of the lounge, which forms the heart of the main farmhouse. These houses weren't designed with passages. Th...
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/1260699916.jpg]
"The idea was always to keep what I found on the farm as pure as possible,' says Greg. Lured by the charming farmhouse in Buffelsdrift, a small farming district nestled in the Klein Karoo (Little Karoo), Greg embarked on a design and renovation process that spanned four years and would transform the neglected property into a working olive farm. The property included a muddle of outbuildings that Greg also saw potential in, such as the old wine store, which he early on identified would be given a second life as a guest house.
The farm is in the middle of South Africa's Klein Karoo, between the Swartberg and Langeberg mountains. The area had intrigued Greg when he explored the region as an architecture student three decades before.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/049A49YtG1680596150509.jpg]
One of the challenges he faced, was that some of the additions to the existing buildings weren't done sensitively. They can verify the farmhouse dates back to 1852, when what is now the kitchen would have been a small flat-roofed structure. 'I wanted to strip the farmhouse back to what it was, and let it sit in a less encumbered way in the landscape', says Greg.
The historical buildings had been constructed by the poured earth method and been covered with various types of plaster over the years. Greg chose to collaborate with architect Jaco Booyens who had both experience in working on remote sites and a particular interest in building with clay and earth.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/2151202262.jpg]
Peeling back the layers was the first step. 'We stripped the walls first to assess the state of the mud structures, which were then repaired with clay collected from the property's irrigation dam, which had been the source of the original material used, Greg explains. Since the floor was in bad repair, Greg sourced local poplar floorboards, and the original yellowwood ceilings were cleaned. The poplar pole roof structure was fixed and all original dowel fixings were kept. Fortunately, the original thatch structure had been retained and a specialist thatcher was able to restore the roof, consistent with the Cape Dutch vernacular architecture style.
Gables and sash windows were repaired and internal poplar shutters were added. Greg chose to let small ghosts of the house's past remain, such as poplar lintels above the doors, leaving elements of the construction history visible. The commitment to the restoration's purity scooped SAOTA and Jaco Booyens Architect, a gold medal at the International Domus Restoration and Conservation Awards in Italy.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/9995051995.jpg]
Thanks to the thatch and the thick earth walls, the thermal qualities of the building are amazing. 'Even when the outside temperature soars to 40 degrees Celsius, the house is cool inside,' says Greg.
Greg designed a series of terraces to 'knit everything together. 'It was really just wild veld, so I wanted to shape the spaces to make sense with the buildings. The idea was to grow a new orchard around the house to create a series of livable spaces, he explains. The area is now densely planted with olive trees, which will eventually form an avenue, and shroud the farmhouse with shade and privacy.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1373620744/1680552866/articles/-6yKyZcp61680595879484/5955998999.jpg]
Working with Fritz Coetzee from Insite Landscape Architects, Greg used the irrigation system to channel water from the borehole to a stone-lined reservoir, which doubles up as the farm pool in the hot summer months.
Greg carefully considered the design of the lounge, which forms the heart of the main farmhouse. These houses weren't designed with passages. Th...
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South African Garden And Home (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2023