Hout Bay House

The Hout Bay House is a showhouse and international research project built from CLT (cross laminated timber) located in Cape Town. The house was for 4 years open to architects and public interested in green building and shows how a modern timber construction performs in the climatic conditions of Western Cape.

The main motivation to build this house (second Novatop CLT construction in Western Cape) was to inspire and encourage South African architects to design sustainably and show various solutions for sustainanle housing. The house has been built in September 2015 and since that time hosted meetings, university excursions, worskhops and other events to offer the visitors a chance to see all the materials “life”, evaluate how they perform in the coastal climatic conditions and experience the indoor climate.

We trust a personal experience supported by research results is the best way how to encourage architects as well as their customers to see timber as a possible building material for their projects. In cooperation with experienced static engineer, builders and local distribution partner, our team shares experience with timber, recommends solutions and offers advice to those, who want to build sustainably and use advantages of modern ways of timber manufacturing.

Except of the Novatop CLT construction system, the house shows various kinds of glue laminated beams (horizontally and vertically laminated beams made from spruce or siberian larch), fermacell gypsup fibre boards for walls and flooring, wood fibre insulation and a choice of wooden profiles used for cladding and decking. There are also double glazed windows and doors presented. All products shown in the house are available on the South African market, either locally in the warehouses of our distribution partner or on order.

Photogallery

Videos

Downloads

Everything you need to know about the Hout Bay House
Summary of the cladding Research in HBH
Presentation - sensors and measuring in the Hout Bay House