The town of Hermanus in Cape Town is well-known for its white, sandy beaches, comfortable ocean temperatures and of course sensational mountain sights, but its also the ideal holiday destination or retirement town for hardworking city slickers who love the idea of escaping to the beach on weekends.
The lovely home featured in homify 360, recently underwent an upgrade by GLA, making it a modern, elegant and aesthetically appealing living space for a growing family. We ensured that the house is comfortable, filled with natural light making it the perfect space to retire.
Homify 360° discovery zooms in on the 3D designs for a modern home designed by GLA located in one of the most beautiful, dream-worthy spots in South Africa: Stellenbosch. And seeing as the location is nothing to scoff at, that means the structure also had to pull its weight in terms of style and beauty.
Fortunately, this dream home, conjured up by Cape Town-based professionals Gallagher Lourens Architects, is a vision that is sure to move the top of many people’s “My dream homes” lists.
Homify features a gorgeous home renovation with renderings and plans, designed by Gallagher Lourens Architects.
This home is a conversion of a typical 1970s suburban home, which had been originally built on a sloping site. The new and modern design features two courtyards, allowing for a wonderful flow between indoor and outdoor living. The architects have also tried to exploit the gorgeous views, while ensuring that the home is protected from strong winds.
While the construction is still yet to occur, these images and plans give us a wonderful idea of what the final product will look like.
One of our renovations in Cape Town
Posted on April 25th, 2017
Featured in Homify’s Ideabook. Located against the mountain slopes of Llandudno in Cape Town overlooking the Atlantic, this outdated home was in severe need of not only a style up, but also extensive additions. The footprint of the existing house was used as a platform from where the new structure unfolded. Natural boulders protect the house on its south-eastern edge, which allows openness in this direction. Elsewhere, the structure is more enclosed, although punctured and cut open to allow views to the mountain.
Take a lok at their feature here
At Waters Edge featured on Homify 360
Posted on April 10th, 2017
One of our recent works in Knysna is featured on the homify 360° website. “We take a quick look at a clean and serene holiday home located in one of the most beautiful and tranquil areas in the entire South Africa: Knysna. Yes, this house definitely has the ‘location’ prerequisite down when it comes to living fabulously, for it is located near the picturesque Garden Route with its lush forests and amazing wildlife. But of course trees and birds are not what we choose to focus on here on homify, so let’s take a look at the exterior (and interior) style of this dreamy structure.”
The inaugural Design Joburg, which takes place from 12-14 May, will showcase the best local and international design brands in a fresh and unique way that aims to fire up enthusiasm and conversation. But don’t expect your regular expo-style show. Design Joburg sees the return of South Africa’s benchmark decorating show, Rooms on View, as a show-within-a-show. One of the most popular events in the industry’s history, Rooms on View will return reinvigorated and supersized to present the latest in trending décor. Read more here
Sustainable Urban Development
Posted on January 4th, 2017
UNESCO published the Global Report on Culture for Sustainable Urban Development in late 2016. Two UN events stimulated its creation: a document entitled Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which emphasizes seventeen global goals for future international collaboration, was signed in September of 2015 at the Summit in New York. Habitat III, the conference held once in twenty years and dedicated to housing and sustainable urban development, took place in Ecuador in October of 2016. The question of culture’s role in urban development, and what problems it can solve, was raised at both events. To answer it, UNESCO summarized global experience and included successful cases of landscaping, cultural politics, events, and initiatives from different corners of the world in the report. It is fascinating.
This article, written by Svetlana Kondratyeva and translated by Olga Baltsatu for Strelka Magazine, examines the most interesting cases of the role of culture in sustainable urban development based on the UNESCO report. South Africa features with the District Six Museum posted as a landmark of tragedy.
“Conflicts also have an opposite side: sometimes they give cities new landmarks and practices and solidify their identity. In their description of southern African countries that experienced liberation movements and changes of government, the authors of the report allocate this kind of heritage to a separate category. It includes uprising squares, former prisons, and dictators’ palaces. The District Six Museum, opened in Cape Town in 1994, represents another similar case. It is dedicated to the period of apartheid and the forced transportation of 60,000 local citizens. The exposition presents the map of the area with handwritten notes from former occupants, indicating the location of their homes and old street signs, and also stories of the relocated families. The museum has become both a landmark of the tragedy and the meeting point for those who identify themselves with the district’s history.”
Tina Gallagher Shortlisted for Corobrik-SAIA Award of Merit
Posted on August 15th, 2016
Our very own architect, Tina Gallagher, has been selected as one of the shortlisted candidates for the Corobrik-SAIA Award of Merit. This award goes to an architect, and member of SAIA, “to encourage and recognise good design or significant contribution in the field of architecture.”
Tina has been shortlisted on her contribution to the design for the Hermanus Community Centrum built in the Zwelihle township. As a result, Tina’s great news was announced in the Hermanus Times along with the industry’s excitement about having an increased number female candidates for the awards.
We are very proud of Tina’s achievement and cannot wait to for the announcement of the results.
National Architectural Awards
Posted on July 21st, 2016
The Corobrik SAIA Awards of Merit and Excellence in Architecture will be presented in Braamfontein of the 2nd of September 2016. The Awards of Merit acknowledge good design or a significant achievement in the field. The Awards for Excellence recognise exceptional contributions to the architectural field and is the top honour that can be conferred on a building in South Africa.
Visit the Cape Business News for more details on these Architectural Awards.
Green Architects
Posted on July 1st, 2016
At GLA we are proud to call ourselves Green Architects. As member of the Green Building Council of South Africa we strongly support green architecture and designing buildings that operate in an environmentally sustainable way. The Green Building Council SA was formed in 2007 in order to lead the greening of South Africa’s commercial property sector. The annual Green Building Convention hosted by the Council will this year take place from 26-28 July in Sandton. At this event architects and designers from around the world will gather to discuss various issues in the industry.
The Green Building Council South Africa aims to promote the importance of green architecture through a series of short video clips on YouTube.
