A genuinely different aspect to our own
Noordhoek sits below Chapman’s Peak on the Atlantic side of the Peninsula, about 35km south of central Cape Town — low-density, generous stands, smallholdings and stables around Noordhoek Farm Village, with Long Beach and its wetlands running along the front. Where Simon’s Town’s built-up harbour street takes its worst light in the morning off calm, sheltered water, Noordhoek’s valley- and mountain-view homes usually face west or south-west — so the brutal low sun lands in the late afternoon instead, off open Atlantic water rather than a flat bay.
Wind writes as much of the brief as sun does
Summer brings the same south-easter as the rest of the Cape coast; winter brings wetter, stormier north-westerly fronts off the Atlantic, with gusts that have reached severe gale force in past storms. Homes built to catch the valley and mountain view typically carry large west- or south-west-facing glazing directly in that wind path, so wind-rated outdoor screens matter here as much as glare control does — not an afterthought behind the view.
What that means for the spec
Sunscreen and blockout roller blinds handle the big west-facing glazing on the newer beach-modern builds; timber venetians suit the older Cape-vernacular farmhouse rooms where a real material fits the setting. Full Atlantic salt exposure calls for marine-grade powder-coated aluminium and 316-grade stainless fixings on anything outside, and honeycomb cellular blinds earn their keep against the wet Cape winter’s cold, damp rooms. Zip screens enclosing a wind-exposed veranda or stoep are arguably the single most locally relevant product we fit here — taut side channels that hold in wind an open awning would fight.
The same exposed, wind-first brief drives the spec across the wetland system in Kommetjie, on the dune side of the same corridor.
Estate codes, stated plainly
Lake Michelle and De Goede Hoop Estate both run genuinely strict architectural codes, favouring recessed or concealed blind boxes and natural-toned fabrics for committee sign-off — we haven’t seen the detailed clauses published, so we work from what your specific estate confirms rather than assume a rule that may not apply to your stand.