Architects from South Africa turned a 120-year-old house into a modern cottage (Photo)

The house, which was once more than a century old, was turned into a modern cottage by architects Liani and Jan Douglas. Now that housing in Green Point, Cape Town, boasts a functional design and an unusual layout.

Architects from Douglas & Company, a South African architecture and design studio, added another additional floor to Arklow Villa III and transformed the interior. This distinguished her from a number of similar villas on the street, showing the original features of the cottage and transferring it to the 21st century, reports "Archidea".

A couple of architects bought this house in 2012, but only recently started rebuilding it. Such a period of time from the date of purchase to the start of large-scale repairs allowed them to accurately determine the vision of the future home.

Liani and Jan Douglas began by replacing the veranda. They wanted to see this part of the house more light. Another external innovation is the completion of another floor with new dormer windows. The rear side of the structure has also undergone minor changes.

The architects chose the South African pine as the main material. This is widely available wood, which is actively used in the construction industry. Also, to create characteristic details, we used original rafter trusses.

“We made the decision to do what was right for the building, and not strictly adhere to the existing architecture,” Liani and Douglas explain.

Previously, architect Kresimir Sandro Slokovich designed a low-budget private apartment the house. The construction of the 70s was updated with the preservation of designs and some things.