Tag: rock

  • Southern Hide

    Southern Hide

    A beautiful timber house on the edge of the ocean, overlooking False Bay towards Hangklip. Extremely difficult access and a sensitive environment made this one of the most challenging builds we have ever undertaken.

    This was a completely new build. An existing dwelling had to be demolished and all materials removed from the site before construction could begin.

    Access to the house is on foot, as there is no road to the property. To transport building materials to the site, we contracted a professional rigging company to construct a zipline from the road, 800m away, to a landing zone. From there, every item had to be carried a further 100m to the house.

    The house combines a sugar gum structure, clad in sugar gum planks, with a brick, mortar and concrete base. Rock was used on the exterior, all of it sourced from the excavation process.

    The result is a carefully crafted timber home that responds to both its extraordinary setting and the challenges of building within a sensitive coastal environment.

    Constructing this iconic house at Smitswinkel bay was enthusiastically and professionally done by Ecowerks. Arguably one of the most challenging locations to build, Regardt and his team’s tireless work ethos brought to life this highly crafted and detailed family holiday home.  Their resourcefulness, attention to detail, honesty and skill makes working with Ecowerks a pleasure. I look forward to working with you again soon.

    Justin Cooke – architect

    We can’t recommend Ecowerks highly enough. Regardt and his crew rebuilt our beach house on an environmentally sensitive and genuinely difficult site, and they handled it with total professionalism from start to finish.

    Communication was outstanding throughout. Regardt was always available when issues came up, and problems got dealt with quickly rather than left to fester. The whole team treated the site with real care and respect, which mattered a lot given the constraints we were building under.

    The finished product is exceptional. If you’re looking for a builder who does things properly, this is who you appoint.

    Mark Tanton – client

  • Sangebethu Nature Reserve

    Sangebethu Nature Reserve

    Jump to Video

    We were contracted to renovate and build onto an existing dwelling high up in the Riviersonderend mountains. From the start it was clear that access and logistics was going to be an extreme challenge. We worked closely with the architect and client to get a working design to make this a landmark project.

    We used a variety of materials on this house. The main elements are a sugargum structure built on a solid brick and mortar base with concrete strengthening in places. The outside of the ground floor was cladded in rock, to keep the mountain feeling. Big glass sliding doors give beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and the river that runs past the house. 

    Set in this exquisite location, this truly turned out to be a landmark building!

    We were contracted to renovate and build onto an existing dwelling high up in the Riviersonderend mountains. From the start it was clear that access and logistics was going to be an extreme challenge. We worked closely with the architect and client to get a working design to make this a landmark project. We used a variety of materials on this house. The main elements are a sugargum structure built on a solid brick and mortar base with concrete strengthening in places. The outside of the ground floor was cladded in rock, to keep the mountain feeling. Big glass sliding doors give beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and the river that runs past the house. Set in this exquisite location, this truly turned out to be a landmark building!

    It’s a privilege to work with Ecowerks. Regardt’s commitment, planning and skill was essential for the success of this out of town project. His coordination of the team, quality of craftsmanship and attention to detail ensured the construction of  a project of extremely high quality in really tricky conditions. 

    Justin Cooke – architect

    Working with Regardt from Ecowerks has been a positive experience. My project was very remote, atop a mountain, making both access and the weather very serious challenges that Regardt took in his stride. I would highly recommend them – I really liked his straightforward and honest approach.

    Johan Nel – client

  • Strawbale House

    Strawbale House

    Our task here was to renovate and add onto this 20-year-old strawbale house in Scarborough. The first task was to determine the state of the wall structure. Upon inspection we learned that the bales in the walls were mostly rotten, due to a cement plaster being applied in the past, and water ingress, leading to rot. We had to rebuild and strengthen most of the walls and make provision for the building of a new timber frame and hemp addition. 

    Materials used here include strawbale with clay plaster interior and lime plaster exterior. Timber frame with timber cladding exterior and hemp/lime plaster interior. Rock was used to make the exterior entertainment area plus steps to the garden.

    By doing this we not only added value to the home but also lengthened the time that this building will last for future generations to enjoy.