Vintage Remix

Architect Antonio Zaninovic’s retro revival of this Constantia home is a masterclass in mid-century modern

- Piet Smedy

Let’s do this a bit differently and start with: what’s the takeaway with this house?

So this house is on a large plot in Constantia but it doesn’t have particularly strong views. Rather, it’s about the greenery, the large garden and the beautiful trees. There was already an existing structure that had undergone several renovations so it had this weird mix of mid-century and modern styles. The idea was to return it to its midcentury origin while also adding to it an entrance foyer and music room. These new areas really informed the overall architecture.

Music rooms aren’t all that common, what are the technicalities behind designing that?

The homeowners are avid collectors, and players, of old records so the room really was a key feature to them. But this meant that there had to be sound insulation, which ended up becoming a major design focal point in the form of a timber ceiling.

Why the decision to go backwards rather than forwards in terms of architectural style?