The design of the Response 1 worked well with the architecture of the original home, with its steep pitch roof and exaggerated eaves. The gabled end was to face east to the rising sun, in the same orientation as the original home. It is delicately perched over two rock terraces, allowing for an entrance at the rear and a cantilevered projection on the front east side, reinforcing the relationship with the view. 
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The larger window openings are located on the leeward north facade, while smaller framed glazed openings are located on the prevailing-wind south facade. Muizenberg experiences strong summer winds and, because of this, box window seats were preferred over deck terraces. The rock terraces at the rear provide outside refuge and intimate dining areas. 

The mass-timber, cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure is made of locally grown South African pine. It is also the internal finish of both walls and roof. Visible interior panels have been sanded and sealed with a water-based, non-toxic wood sealer that prevents UV degradation and the  yellowing of the timber. A solid larch tongue-and-groove floor was suspended over the CLT pine floor. The entire structure comprises an envelope of 77mm thick CLT which is protected by a highly breathable membrane. It optimises the wind tightness of the structure, protecting it from the entry of hot air in summer and cold air in winter. The density of the wood provides outstanding thermal resistance. The walls and floor achieve a thermal resistance of R 5.8. while the roof, with its additional layer of reflective membrane, achieves R 6.5. This is three times over the requirement of local building requirements.