Clifton
Gardens
Stefan Antoni's first house — built in 1991, reimagined for 2025. A landmark renovation by OHKRE and Philip Nel.
1991
Year Built
SAOTA
Original Architect
2025
Renovation Year
OHKRE
Renovation Firm
2nd Beach
Clifton, Cape Town
Stefan Antoni's
First House
In 1991, a young Cape Town architect named Stefan Antoni completed his first residential commission — a house on the slopes of Clifton, overlooking the Atlantic. The project was called House Semprini, and the drawings were signed simply: S.A.
That single commission would quietly become the foundation of SAOTA — Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects — today one of the world's most celebrated residential architecture practices, with projects across six continents.
Three decades later, this house is being transformed. The bones remain. The vision is new.
1988
Plans Drawn
1991
House Completed
2025
Renovation Begins
Original Blueprints
Stefan Antoni's original architectural drawings from 1988 — signed S.A., drawn for the City of Cape Town. These are the plans that started it all.
Stefan Antoni · House Semprini · Clifton · August 1988 · Scale 1:100
"Every great practice begins with a single house. This was ours."
Stefan Antoni · SAOTA · Clifton · 1991
The Renovation
In 2025, OHKRE and Philip Nel began the full transformation of Clifton Gardens — stripping back decades of additions to reveal the original structure, then reimagining it for contemporary living.
Before
During
Before & After
← Drag to compare · Interior living area
← Drag to compare · Exterior facade
The Vision
Rendered interiors and exteriors by OHKRE — warm travertine, live-edge timber, cascading greenery, and the eternal backdrop of Table Mountain.
Warm Travertine
Natural stone surfaces throughout — floors, walls, and bespoke joinery that bring the Cape landscape indoors.
Live-Edge Timber
A 4.2m live-edge dining table anchors the main living space, paired with amber velvet chairs and a branch chandelier.
Mountain Backdrop
Every room frames Table Mountain. The architecture defers to the landscape — glass, light, and silence.
From Blueprint to Reality
The 2025 renovation plans reveal the full scope of the transformation — including a dedicated Oxygen Chamber, a new master en-suite, and a complete reimagining of the living spaces.
Oxygen Chamber
A dedicated biohacking wellness room for hyperbaric oxygen therapy — one of the most unique features of the renovation.
Master En-Suite
A fully redesigned master bathroom with floor-to-ceiling glass, double vanity, and ocean views from the soaking tub.
Open-Plan Living
Walls removed to create a seamless flow from kitchen to dining to living — all opening onto the ocean terrace.
Garden, Pool
& Amenities
Perched above Clifton's 2nd Beach, the property unfolds across multiple terraces — a lush tropical garden, an ocean-facing pool, a private sauna with Table Mountain views, and interiors that blur the line between inside and out.
Infinity Pool
Heated pool with glass balustrade, facing the Atlantic and Clifton's Fourth Beach.
Private Sauna
Cedar Finnish sauna with a panoramic window framing Table Mountain at dusk.
Tropical Garden
Multi-level terraced garden with mature palms, bougainvillea, and indigenous fynbos.
Ocean Terraces
Three levels of outdoor entertaining space with uninterrupted Atlantic Ocean views.
Where the Garden
Meets the Atlantic
Clifton Gardens cascades down the granite hillside above 2nd Beach in a series of lush terraces — each level revealing a wider sweep of the Atlantic. Mature palms, bougainvillea in full bloom, and indigenous fynbos frame every view.
The infinity pool sits at the garden's edge — its water line dissolving into the ocean horizon at dusk. From the master suite to the open-plan living areas, the Atlantic is always present, always in frame.
180°
Ocean Panorama
Uninterrupted Atlantic views from every level
4
Garden Terraces
Cascading levels of tropical planting
2nd
Beach Below
Clifton's most celebrated beach at your doorstep
∞
Infinity Pool
Water line merging with the ocean horizon
When the Light
Turns Gold
Spaces Designed
for Living
Director
Phillip Nel
Phillip Nel
— OHKRE Collective
Phillip Nel is a Professional Architect and co-founder of OHKRE Collective — a Cape Town-based design studio that has built a reputation for creating spaces that are simultaneously bold, intimate, and deeply rooted in their surroundings.
With over 30 years of combined industry experience across the collective, Phillip brings a philosophy of collaborative design — working closely with clients, craftspeople, and contractors to create spaces that speak of individual aspiration and are rooted in their landscape.
For Clifton Gardens, Phillip and the OHKRE team undertook the full architectural and interior transformation — honouring Stefan Antoni's original 1991 vision while reimagining the house for contemporary luxury living.
Studio
OHKRE Collective
Role
Director & Principal Architect
Location
Cape Town, South Africa
Speciality
Architecture · Interiors · FF&E
OHKRE Collective Works
View Full Portfolio →
The Team
The people behind the transformation — from architectural vision to daily operations and round-the-clock security.
Phillip Nel
Principal Architect & Design Director
The creative and technical force behind the Clifton Gardens transformation. Phillip leads OHKRE's architectural vision — crafting spaces that are bold, intimate, and deeply rooted in their landscape.
[email protected]Tanya Matthews
Estate Director & General Manager
Strategic oversight of all property operations, renovation coordination, and long-term estate planning. Tanya is the principal point of authority for Clifton Gardens — ensuring the vision is realised with precision.
[email protected]Lapken
Director of Household & Estate Operations
Commanding the daily rhythm of Clifton Gardens — from staff deployment and maintenance scheduling to the seamless running of the estate. Lapken ensures the property operates at the highest standard, every day.
[email protected]Secret
Residence & Guest Experience Curator
The guardian of guest experience and household excellence. Secret oversees all residence services, curates the guest journey, and ensures every detail — from arrival to departure — is attended to with care.
[email protected]
Security Protocol
Armed Response
Immediate armed response on call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
CCTV Surveillance
Full perimeter camera coverage — every entrance, exit, and boundary monitored in real time.
24/7 Patrol
Continuous scheduled patrols of the property, grounds, and all perimeter boundaries.
Access Control
Strict visitor management and controlled access for all entry points to the estate.
Renovation by
OHKRE × Phillip Nel
Property Management
Tanya Matthews
Original Architect
Stefan Antoni · SAOTA