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Cloud Beam

©

Concrete clouds shade, collect water, and provide energy for two dwellings.

This project is located at the base of the north side of Table Mountain in the Oranjezicht neighborhood of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. Constructed from custom pre-cast concrete forms, the duplex dwelling cascades four stories down the mountain slope. Mirror images of each other, each unit has breathtaking views of the bay and slot views of Lions Head and Devils Peak to the east and west. The roof of the building is composed of winged concrete beams spanning the dwellings using an innovative structural system we call the Cloud Beam©. Like the clouds over Table Mountain, they provide shade, insulation, water, and energy for the dwellings. Each beam funnels rainwater to a central aqueduct in the middle of the building. It moves down the building, collected in large cisterns under the structure. Each Cloud Beam© holds eight solar panels, totaling 70 for the dwellings. The south elevation of each beam is glass, which provides shaded light and views through the roof to the mountain. The pre-cast concrete structure can be disassembled rather than bulldozed and reused in other locations. Cloud Beam© is a sustainable, resiliant alternative to dwelling in nature.

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Documentation: 2017-2022

Construction: 2022-2025

Architect/Designer: Darren Petrucci, AIA

Client: Francesco Svelto

Program: Private Duplex Dwellings

Area: Two 551.5 m² (5,936 ft²) units

Renderings by A-I-R, Inc.

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