By Sue Bellis
Many people associate South Africa with safaris, the Big Five, the buzz of cosmopolitan Johannesburg, or the beauty of Cape Town and its iconic mountain. But, what about extreme homes? They also increasingly think about adrenalin-filled holiday activities such as bungee jumping or sailing zip lines through indigenous forest canopies. The country on the southern tip of Africa is the perfect setting for some of the most extreme homes in the continent.
Here are 10 of the most extreme homes in South Africa that made the list for one reason or another.
“GALILÄI”: SOMERSET WEST’S ROTATING HOUSE
Many homeowners look for a beautiful, or at least a pleasant view, from their home. In 2001, architect, Raymond Alexander, decided to create a home that not only offered lovely views, but one that provides changing vistas.
The second floor of this 625 m2 (or 2 050 ft) building is accessed via a walkway and has the standout aspect of, at the flip of a switch, rotating an astonishing 350 degrees either clockwise or counterclockwise. Thanks to the hefty German-made motor it sits on, the upper floor slowly revolves so that the view from the windows alters constantly.
Located in Somerset West, which is 45 km (or 28 miles) from Cape Town, this structure sits in the foothills and its elevated position is what adds to the “wow” factor, as the views include both mountains and ocean. Table Mountain can be seen on clear days as well.
The ground and upper floors are accessed independently and are both complete with bedrooms, bathrooms, living spaces, and a kitchen. The levels are connected by a lift or a walkway.
The look of this house with its round windows and arched doorways may not appeal to everyone, but the innovative design and ability to rotate and offer vistas from every angle definitely makes this one of the most extreme homes. Galiläi is also the first of its kind for Southern Africa… and earthquake proof for good measure.
ULTIMATE OPEN-PLAN LIVING IN BANTRY BAY
This glorious extreme home was designed by Cape Town-based architecture firm, SAOTA. Their brief was to make the most of the panoramic mountain and sea views and to fuse the building into the landscape so that it treads lightly in this area of great natural beauty. The result is a multistory mansion that, despite its size and the materials used, does indeed blend into the surroundings below the famous Lion’s Head Mountain.
Regardless of the room one is in, the views take one’s breath away. The sense of space is overwhelming and is achieved by large, uncluttered open-plan living areas and generous use of glass. Furthermore, the huge sliding glass doors allow the indoor and outdoor spaces to blend together seamlessly. For instance, by folding away the doors, the lounge becomes a verandah that looks out over the ocean and mountains.
AS ARCHITECT AND SAOTA DIRECTOR, PHILIP OLMESDAHL, STATES, “ONE IS LURED THROUGH THE MAIN GARAGE WITH ITS DOUBLE VOLUME…TOWARDS THE SHAFT OF LIGHT AND SPLASH OF LANDSCAPING EMANATING FROM THE GLAZED ENTRANCE AREA BEYOND.”
The living areas are all on the ground floor with bedrooms and bathrooms above. Despite the extensive use of glass, the home’s design ensures that the occupants enjoy complete privacy.
KLOOF ROAD: STEEL ELEGANCE IN JOHANNESBURG
This extreme home is the brainchild of Nico Van Der Meulen Architects, who created a family house with floor space of 1100 m2 (or 3609 ft2). Constructed from molded black steel, it is both imposing and unique. The vast expanses of glass add to the sense of space and lightness, which one would certainly not expect from a metal and concrete building. One could be forgiven for thinking this structure looks more like a monumental sculpture than a house. This impression is reinforced by the sections of steel that sweep across surfaces and are more organic in form. These offset the box-like and geometric sections.
This extreme home boasts four ensuite bedrooms, formal and informal living and entertainment spaces, a full and a mini kitchen, a playroom, and extensive outdoor areas which merge with the indoor space when the frameless glass doors are opened. The result is a restful, flowing open-plan environment.
Oh, and did we mention the solar-powered underfloor heating, the cantilever koi pond with glass sides, the swimming pool, the fire pit, and garaging for four vehicles?
“HOUSE JONES”: THE MEETING OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND AESTHETIC NEEDS
The primary brief for this home was an environmental one. The degree to which the architect met this and created a visually-striking structure is what makes House Jones an extreme home.
Few eco-aware features have been omitted from this amazing green design. The building goes far beyond the usual PVC or solar panels in its efforts to tread lightly on the planet.
The design incorporates systems that conserve and/or recycle water, use and save renewable and clean energy for heating, utilizes solar shading and evaporation for cooling, water-wise landscaping, as well as separate “micro-climates” that are an integrated part of the structure. House Jones makes intelligent use of sunlight both for natural light and for heating.
This home is unique in that the central building is encased in a metal frame that provides a space in the house covered by plants. Each area has a self-contained micro-climate. This also promotes the flow between the interior and exterior living spaces. In addition to the ever-changing seasonal beauty they provide, the plants help with air quality and help regulate interior temperatures.
THE HEMP HOUSE: HIGH ON ECO-AWARENESS
There is no escaping the fact that this structure is not going to bowl one over from an aesthetic point of view. The design of this home is not extreme in any of the more conventional ways. What does give it a deserved place on this list is what it’s made of, and the clue is in the name: “The Hemporium.” This building is 100% hemp.
To add to the low carbon footprint of the house, the roof has been planted with sour figs, a very hardy and succulent plant species that deals with rainwater runoff and releases significant amounts of oxygen. The construction and design are groundbreaking in eco terms making this, according to owner, Tony Budden, the “most sustainable building in Africa.”
The house, located in Noordhoek near Cape Town, may be boxy and uninspiring from the outside; however, the interior is sleek, modern, free of clutter, and a feast of varied and interesting textures as it uses reclaimed wood and, of course, hemp in various forms. There are wood-covered walls, hemp carpets, lamp shades, and upholstery.
The windows are ‘intelligent,’ as they are connected to a thermostat and automatically open or close depending on the weather. This regulates the temperature inside the house and works with the hemp insulation to make heating and cooling green.
THE GLASS HOUSE IN THE TREES
Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects created a structure that is spacious and integrated into the trees it sits in and pays homage to. Despite the use of huge metal beams, the all-glass exterior walls allow this extreme home to blend into its green, leafy setting.
Like many of the unique houses in South Africa, this one is also in Cape Town. In addition to the glorious trees, the location offers a valley through which a stream runs, lush indigenous vegetation, and views of Table Mountain. While it looks more modest from certain angles, this is a three-floor, 2475 ft2 or 754 m2, spacious family home.
As well as providing views of the trees, the floor-to-ceiling glass walls can be slid back to let in fresh air, the wonderful scents and aromas released by the flora, and the sound of running water and birdsong. The aim of the architects is to create harmony between the structure of the home and the boughs of the trees.
The wood floors and use of blinds, stainless steel railing, and minimalist décor gives this extreme home a wonderful serene, zen quality.
THE WESTCLIFF PAVILION
The suburb of Westcliff in Johannesburg gives its name to this structure, designed by Georg van Gass and Clare Eisenstein of GASS. The “pavilion” is most likely derived from the extensive and skillful use of steel to form the frame. Steel was chosen for the same reasons it was for the Glass House, as it allows one to use vast expanses of glass so as to merge the structure into its natural surroundings.
This home has been built inside a wooden estate and on part of the Westcliff Ridge. This affords the home wonderful access to indigenous trees and views across areas of Johannesburg below.
Apart from the steel frame and glass walls, the other materials used are sprung wooden floors and carefully and skillfully laid stone that has been utilized for both internal and external walls. Because the stone was locally sourced, it blends into the surroundings. What is extraordinary is that this home seems to float despite the heavy construction materials used. This is thanks to the fact that only the metal frame footings are ‘rooted’ in the ground. These steel columns sunk into the earth hold the house above the ground, giving it an almost weightless appearance. Even the large external stone wall seems to be suspended.
The trees growing around and against the building serve to further soften and camouflage the house. The openness of the design creates an extreme version of open-plan living space with unimpeded movement of air, light, and occupants through the home.
GLASS AND CONCRETE CONTEMPORARY LUXURY
While Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects were behind the glass tree house, Nico Van Der Meulen Architects created a glass home in Johannesburg that sits very firmly on the ground. The client wanted a “modern, glamorous, open-planned, light-filled” home that offered views of the extensive gardens from each room. The result is 2500 m2 (or 8200 ft2) of glittering luxury spread over two floors.
This extreme home boasts several stand-out features such as a stainless steel and glass staircase, a timber-clad lift tower, a heated pond with a raised and circular water feature complete with Koi, and an outdoor pool. Inside, there are formal and informal lounge areas, a dining room enhanced by a 6-meter (or 20-foot) high glass wall, and frameless folding glass doors curving around a staggering 70 meters (or 230-foot) of exterior wall that encompasses the family room, indoor pool, and a gym.
In case that’s not enough, one can swim to the gym or jump into the pool from the main bedroom. There is also basement parking for a dozen cars, a private art gallery, and the feature wall in one of the living spaces is clad with stone imported from Jerusalem after a centuries old building was demolished.
A CONTEMPORARY, SLEEK TREE HOUSE
This state-of-the-art structure is the brainchild of Pieter Malan and Jan-Heyn Vorster of Malan Vorster Architecture. The design, engineering, and construction of this building are unique and work together to produce a structure that is elegant and blends into its location.
The construction involves folded, laser-cut Corten steel columns, rings, and arms. The shape of the steel structure mimics that of a tree. The building sits on stilts and consists of three cylindrical towers that stand three floors high.
Untreated timber (red cedar battens) and large areas of glass also characterize this home. The steel and wood were selected for their ability to age so the structure blends into its surroundings. It’s hard to believe that this one-bedroom home is in a Cape Town suburb.
The engineering of the home has been turned into a very effective interior design feature. At the top of each of the three round columns are large steel rings that serve to support the floor above. The rings combine with the timber flooring and ceilings and brass joins the two together. The effect is clean, modern, and elegant.
From the ramp that leads to the front door to the first-floor living areas to the bedroom and bathroom above, each part of this extreme home is light, airy, and ‘part’ of the natural setting outside, which can be seen from every window.
NIEU BETHESDA’S “OWL HOUSE”
Standing outside the Owl House, one could be forgiven for thinking that it is simply an ordinary Victorian Karoo house…and one would be correct to a point. This was the home of eccentric local artist, Helen Martin, until her death.
The name was given to the building by the residents of this dry, dusty town when Martin began to make and put up owls to watch over and guard her property. This extraordinary house, now a museum, literally and figuratively brought color and texture to Martin’s life.
The owls, as with most of the other creatures that crowd the yard behind the house, are made of cement and have colored glass eyes. Their creator used wire, cement, broken glass, colored glass bottles, and pieces of mirror to fashion people, birds, mermaids, camels, and dozens of other creatures. all of which populated and expressed her personal mythology which was focused around the sun and bringing wonder and magic into everyday life.
During the day, the interior of the house glows as the bright African sun shines through windows that have been painted vibrant colors or replaced with blue, green, or yellow glass bottles. The home sparkles and shimmers at night when lamps or candles are lit thanks to the mosaics made of pieces of mirror and glass, as well as the bright walls that are overlaid with crushed glass.
Author: Susan Bellis was born and grew up in beautiful South Africa. After graduating with a BA with majors in English Literature and Clinical Psychology, she held a series of challenging and varied jobs in several industries, all of which involved research and writing which led her to her passion. For the last several years, Sue has been working very happily and productively as a freelance writer and researcher. When she’s not working, she enjoys photography, reading, watching movies, and travel.