FULL CIRCLE

The circular window at House 111A was a minor intervention to a home we passionately designed a decade ago.

Our strategy was to create a ‘concise’ opening in a gracefully weathered concrete wall, with no patching of concrete after the fact, at a scale sympathetic to the proportions of the existing façade.

For the concrete coring and cutting specialist, we dimensioned the minimum and maximum diameters of the core drills to scale the opening. When three quarters of the circumference were drilled, the pie was cut into manageable quarters, each carefully supported and lowered to the ground.

The last core drill completed the circumference and freed the final concrete quarter to be lowered to the ground where it was jackhammered into rubble and carted away.

We matched the colour of the window frame to the concrete, reducing the visual impact of the circular geometry to a gentle intervention in sympathy with the patina of the weathered façade. A hooded overhang designed into the profile of the rolled tube adds visual interest beyond just a circular window and functionally regulates exposure to the summer sun. The real prize, however, is a stunning framed view from within of the ever-changing seasons reflected in the indigenous garden beyond.

The glazing contractor sealed the gap between the new steel frame and the concrete, making sure to leave an opening at the bottom for the egress of moisture forced out by the weather step. He installed the circular pane of glass into the rebate provided using double-sided tape and structural silicone.

A circular steel tube seals and smooths the opening, whilst also providing an overhang to regulate temperatures during summer.

The window frame seamlessly blends into the weathered concrete, complementing the earthern landscape.

BRYAN DUNSTAN Director and Professional Architect www.bdsa.co.za

@bdstudioarchitects