WORDS Palesa Mohola PHOTOS Karl Rogers Photography

The brief for transforming this family home on the shores of Lake Constance was deceptively straightforward. A first visit to the site, however, revealed far more than a renovation project. “During my first visit to Germany, I discovered the house’s remarkable history. Built by hand approximately 60 years ago, its original owners had lived there ever since. We wanted to preserve elements of this history and nostalgia while creating a sophisticated, contemporary home for a young family with two children,” says Cape Town-based designer Hendre Bloem, whose involvement in the project encompassed the architectural concept, interior architecture, full interior design, bespoke furniture and detailing. “Our approach focused on respecting the building’s original character while opening up spaces, introducing natural materials and creating a timeless interior that celebrates its surroundings and embraces a new chapter of family life.”

Working within a new architectural and cultural context, Hendre absorbed Germany’s climate, materials and local traditions without departing from his own design language. On an island edged by Lake Constance, the water offered a natural reference. “Being situated on Lake Constance, I wanted to introduce a subtle maritime influence through extensive timber panelling and detailing reminiscent of beautifully crafted boats and timber decks, creating a connection between the lake, architecture and interiors.”

The building’s form proved equally generative. “The house’s unusual split-level configuration, with its distinctive sloping rooflines, presented an opportunity to maximise views towards the surrounding landscape,” says Hendre. “Climate also played an important role. The black timber cladding introduced to the exterior conceals additional insulation required for the renovation, while adding texture, depth and contrast to the facades.”

Being responsible for both the architectural concept and the interior spaces allowed Hendre to approach the house as a single, cohesive design. “I particularly enjoy projects where I can develop both the architectural concept and interior design, allowing for a cohesive approach from the outset. For this project, involving a local German architect was essential. Alexander Höfflin from Höfflin Architekten played a crucial role as implementing architect and in translating my design vision into reality, navigating German building regulations, technical requirements and council approvals,” explains Hendre. “As a qualified interior architect, working across both disciplines allows me to think beyond the functionality of internal spaces and consider the home as a whole. Materials, finishes and architectural details can be thoughtfully integrated, creating a seamless transition between exterior and interior. This approach ensures a consistent design language throughout, strengthening the relationship between the architecture, interior spaces and surrounding landscape while creating a more considered and unified home.”

Exterior and landscape lighting was kept deliberately subtle, preserving views of the lake after dark and minimising reflections in the glazing. “The exterior follows a restrained, almost monochromatic palette, with soft neutral walls contrasted against black window frames and timber cladding. Off-shutter concrete, natural decking and textured tiles introduce warmth and depth, while the surrounding greenery and lake provide a constantly changing backdrop. I wanted the architecture to feel timeless and understated, respecting the more reserved German design culture, with its character revealed through carefully considered detailing rather than bold statements,” says Hendre.

The interior, however, called for a different kind of thinking. “My approach was to challenge some of those conventions, introducing unexpected material applications and creative detailing while embracing the exceptional quality of local craftsmanship,” he says.

The team worked extensively with natural oak, hot-rolled steel and richly textured fabrics, with almost everything – from furniture to curtains – custom-made in South Africa. “We were fortunate to have clients who embraced the idea of designing and manufacturing bespoke furniture in Cape Town and shipping everything to Germany. Although this involved additional logistics and costs, it allowed us to create truly unique pieces tailored to the architecture and individual spaces,” explains Hendre.

That South African influence ran deeper than materials alone. “I’m constantly reminded of the extraordinary creativity, craftsmanship and talent we have in South Africa. Our designers and makers can confidently stand alongside the best internationally, particularly when it comes to bespoke furniture and detailing,” remarks Hendre. In Reichenau, that point is made convincingly. “In Reichenau, incorporating pieces by fellow South African designers and friends, including James Mudge and Dokter and Misses, added another layer of identity to the home.”

The same attention to detail extended to proportions and placement throughout, particularly in spaces like the kitchen, where a freestanding upholstered bench sits alongside the striking black oak dining table. “The architecture is predominantly linear and contemporary, so I deliberately introduced subtle curves, rounded furniture edges and more organic forms. These softer details create a sense of warmth and comfort, balancing the architectural precision with a more relaxed, inviting atmosphere,” he says.

For Hendre, cultural context always plays an important role in design. “Rather than simply adapting to established European design conventions, I wanted to introduce something fresh and unexpected. For me, the greatest achievement is how naturally this South African design sensibility sits within the German setting, creating a home that feels both internationally relevant and uniquely personal.” | hendrebloem.com

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WORDS Palesa Mohola PHOTOS Ishita Sitwala

Built outside Ahmedabad’s historic walled city, this 585.3 m² residence finds the balance between two parallel conditions – the desire for spatial generosity and the long-established culture of collective living – by prioritising communal living over individual spaces, an approach that draws from the spatial logic of traditional pol houses without replicating them.

The brief called for a multi-generational home for a family of six, capable of functioning both as a single residence and as two independent units over time, all within a limited urban plot. The climate was an ever-present force: external walls were built as double layers with a cavity, keeping Ahmedabad’s intense heat firmly at bay.

On the upper levels, the form was modulated through curved profiles that soften the building’s silhouette while preserving its monolithic character. Practically, the curves reduce structural dead load and limit dust-collecting horizontal surfaces; visually, they break the rigidity of the vertical volume – completing the mass as a series of inverted tiers.

A high boundary wall acts both as an acoustic buffer and a visual barrier, allowing the outdoors to function as an extension of the interior. The wall is finished in a textured, earthy surface that gives the building a consistent presence; stone is used selectively at edges and surfaces subject to wear.

On the external facade, openings are kept deliberately sparse – a pragmatic response to the city’s punishing heat. Large openings are concentrated on the ground floor, while those above are deep-set and carefully oriented to shield interiors from direct solar exposure. Where light is needed most, a void adjoining the staircase draws daylight into the heart of the house.

Inside, movement is structured around a deliberately discontinuous central staircase, with each flight opening into a living space. A single flooring material runs through the house, allowing the spatial organisation to remain legible. Walls, floors and ceilings are finished in low-contrast, matte tones, reinforcing the sense of a single, unbroken interior.

The stairwell is more than a visual link between floors; it is articulated in a darker tone to register as a fixed, anchoring element within an otherwise continuous and monotone interior. Its shifting geometry reads almost like an asymmetrical heart, producing varied spatial conditions and allowing each level to be experienced differently while remaining part of a continuous volume. It also provides a sightline between levels, allowing one to keep an eye on the lower level for security.

The ground floor belongs to everyone: living, dining and kitchen open into one another in an uninterrupted plan, extending into a series of courts along the edges that bring light and ventilation while maintaining a measured relationship with the street.

The upper levels are organised as compact clusters, each accommodating two bedrooms and a shared living space that functions as an extension of the rooms, allowing each floor to operate as an independent unit when required in the future – recalling the vertical stacking of pol houses.

The uppermost level was conceived as an active, inhabitable space where the roof accommodates seasonal and everyday domestic use. The house opens to a partially enclosed terrace that allows for both collective and individual use across different times of the day; it completes the vertical sequence, moving from an inward, grounded base to a more open and elevated condition.

The furniture, too, was treated as a distinct layer within the interiors. Mainly crafted in locally sourced teakwood, the pieces introduce warmth and scale while maintaining a clear visual separation from the architecture. Their higher contrast against the otherwise muted interior strengthens this distinction, allowing them to read as objects placed within a continuous spatial volume, rather than extensions of the built form. @studio_saransh | @iksoi

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WORDS Biddi Rorke PRODUCTION Steve Smith PHOTOS Jan Ras

Laid out over two levels, this purpose-built guesthouse makes a deliberate statement on the scrubby Karoo landscape. “After buying the Prince Albert erf because of the sensational views, my fiancé Gabriel (Coertze) and I had a dream to create an iconic building as a testament to Howard Roark, the protagonist in our favourite novel,” says co-owner Minet Honiball. “We have always been captivated by Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead – the story of an uncompromising architect who stayed true to his creative integrity.”

The end result of this thinking is an unashamedly dramatic homestead that looms seven metres into the sky. “The spaces and shapes intentionally draw the eye up from the ground, creating a subliminal connection between earth and sky,” says Cape Town designer Hendre Bloem, who worked closely with Minet and Gabriel to achieve their vision. “Initially, I thought the building should be brown to blend in with the surrounding soil, but the ochre-coloured rock formations and red sunsets of the area made me reconsider.”

The trio made the brave decision to build a one-bedroom dwelling, rather than a family home. “We wanted to create a refuge, a sacred sanctuary, where a couple or a solo traveller could enjoy a reflective, monastic stay,” Minet says. “We felt that adding extra bedrooms would detract from this feeling. The intention is for guests to look inwards while looking outwards. It’s less about a boisterous gathering, and more about quiet, intimate connection.”

Viewed from the side, the dwelling comprises three rectangular shapes that demarcate different living spaces and give depth to the facade. “The placement of these structures allows for shaded and highlighted areas, depending on the time of day,” Hendre says. “In addition, they create unexpected pockets and hidden spaces to explore.” The central duplex houses the ground-floor kitchen-diner. An internal staircase leads up a continuous riser flanked by walls on either side, and only once you reach the landing is the surprise mezzanine en suite bedroom revealed, along with panoramic 270-degree views. Back downstairs, a double-volume lounge to the east and spacious outdoor cooking area to the west complete the homestead.

To maximise the magnificent mountain vistas, strategically placed windows and doors control the views by directing the eye to certain scenes or objects. “We leaned into the masculinity of the build, but played with it a little by incorporating the succulent palate of surrounding dusty pink and sage green,” Minet explains. These natural tones soften the muscular feel of the site without detracting from it.

Inside, pared-down finishes such as raw concrete floors and off -shutter details add a subtly industrial mood to the living spaces. The single floor finish used inside and outside allows for a seamless barefoot transition between areas and functions. “Air flow through breeze-block detailing in key exterior walls and balustrades naturally cools the home,” Hendre says. “When the harsh Karoo sun casts shadows through the bricks, the patterns create natural works of art while diff using the view of neighbouring properties in the distance.”

To some, the building is not in keeping with the vernacular architecture. For Minet and Gabriel, the joy of the home is how much of the exceptional view is incorporated in the interiors. “Throw open the doors and you have these vast spaces, inside and out,” Minet says. “And we’re still within walking distance of the quirky shops, delis and cafés that make Prince Albert so special.” pathkaroo.co.za | hendrebloem.com

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WORDS Palesa Mohola PRODUCTION Giulia Red PHOTOS Thomas Pagani

Set along the dramatic clifftops of Argentario, Villa Esmeralda is arranged over three levels, each marked by a terrace extending from the natural terrain to create the impression of being suspended over the sea.

The villa is one of the very few properties along this coastline with direct access to the water – an advantage the designers were deliberate in harnessing. Glass surfaces played a central role in drawing in natural light and allowing the landscape to become an integral part of the living experience, blurring the boundary between inside and outside.

“We wanted to convey the feeling of being aboard a yacht, in constant dialogue with the horizon,” says Andrea Pierattelli, partner at Pierattelli Architetture. “From certain areas of the house, the view is of nothing but the sea, reinforcing the sensation of being suspended over the water.”

The extended facades, featuring the original stone surfaces of the building, run along the terraces and the roofline, further evoking that sensation of being aboard a yacht. A staircase, added to the original structure, connects all the terraces.

The studio extended this considered approach to the landscape, incorporating vegetation into the terraces and blending the building with its surrounding greenery through a careful selection of plant species that will gradually grow up the retaining walls. An infinity pool, set within a series of existing terraces overlooking the sea, enhances the original layout.

That same restraint carries through to the interiors, where a muted palette of beige and white grounds the design in its Tuscan context. Wood complements travertine – a material long synonymous with local building traditions – while flooring by Fiemme 3000 flows through to the outdoor living space, transitioning from light-coloured resin inside to natural stone pathways on the lower level. Brushed steel and Corten steel frame the windows and doors.

To complete the design, the studio introduced a personal touch through custom furniture pieces across multiple rooms – from the kitchen and doorways to the bedrooms. | pierattelliarchitetture.com

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When a development attracts strong demand, selling out in minutes can look like the ultimate success. But behind the speed is a question worth asking: did the right buyers secure the properties they wanted, and did the developer truly understand the value of that demand?

A buyer may have done their homework, secured their finance and know exactly which property they want, only to miss out because somebody else clicked first. For the developer, an early reservation is only as valuable as the buyer’s ability to follow through. Being first is one thing. Being ready to follow through is another.

And the decisions surrounding an off-plan development carry far beyond launch day. Developers make choices around feasibility, product, positioning and price long before the finished property comes to life. Buyers are making an equally significant commitment – choosing today the property they want to own tomorrow.

For Revo, the answer isn’t simply to make launches faster or generate more interest. It’s to rethink when and how buyers become part of a development – and what becomes possible when they do.

It all comes back to one thing: knowing more, sooner

That belief is built into how Revo Property and Revo Digital work with developers – bringing market intelligence, marketing, technology and sales together in one connected strategy, built around the buyer and driven by the sales target.

And the results are already evident: pre-sales targets reached well ahead of schedule, developments sold out in minutes, projects moving into construction sooner and additional value achieved above initial asking prices.

The results are the proof. What matters is what made those results possible.

“For a developer, the sales target isn’t just a number. It’s what gets the development moving,” says Emanuel Germanis, Revo Group CEO. “You get one opportunity to take a development to market, but you live with those decisions for the next two years. So why wait until launch to find out what the market thinks? The opportunity is to understand the buyer, test the thinking and see where genuine demand sits. When you bring that knowledge into the process from the start, you make better decisions, buyers have greater confidence and the whole development has more momentum behind it.”

The buyer can change more than the sale

Understanding the buyer is one thing. Creating new ways for the right buyer to participate is another.

For the right development, qualified buyers and investors don’t necessarily have to wait for public launch to become part of the opportunity. Early commitment, preferential access or different ways to participate can give them the chance to access value sooner, while giving the developer something equally powerful: real demand at a point where it can still influence the development – strengthening feasibility, supporting gearing and building momentum before the wider market has even opened.

This isn’t about creating a new formula and applying it to every development. It’s about recognising that the traditional route from developer to market to buyer doesn’t always have to be a straight line.

“Data is only valuable if you know what to do with it,” says Roxy Goddard, Revo Group CMO. “Sometimes the opportunity is in using what we know to make a better decision about the development. But sometimes it is bigger than that. If you understand what the developer needs and what the right buyer values, you can bring those two sides together in ways a traditional launch simply doesn’t allow.”

For Revo, that is when buyer intelligence becomes something far more valuable than data. It can bring the right people into a development at the point where their participation can have the greatest impact.

Because the right buyer doesn’t only have the potential to buy into a development. They can help unlock it.

150,000+ buyers: The real advantage is knowing who is ready to act

Revo has spent years building the Revo Forum – more than 150,000 qualified buyers, segmented by location, budget, product type and investment intent. Across approximately 30 development launches over the past 24 months, 45% of sales achieved by Revo have come through the Forum.

But scale only tells part of the story. A buyer can open an email, click an ad or enquire about a development and still be a long way from making a decision. What matters is recognising when interest starts becoming intent.

That is where Connect, Revo Digital’s proprietary development sales platform, adds another layer of intelligence. For the buyer, it creates a simple way to explore a development by building, floor and apartment, with live pricing, layouts, availability and projected returns in one place. For Revo, the way buyers move through that experience begins to reveal something more – how interest is translating into behaviour.

A buyer returning to the same apartment, comparing particular layouts or repeatedly exploring a certain price point tells a different story to a single enquiry. Multiply those behaviours across a development and patterns begin to emerge – where demand is building, which stock is attracting attention and which buyers are moving closer to a decision.

But those signals don’t just sit inside Connect. What Revo Digital sees through the campaign connects with what Revo Property is hearing directly from buyers. Marketing behaviour and real sales conversations become one evolving view of demand.

This isn’t just a separate layer of technology added to a traditional launch. It’s part of how Revo works – using evidence from buyer behaviour and real conversations to inform what happens next.

Being first shouldn’t matter more than being ready

When demand outweighs available stock, first come, first served can turn an important property decision into a race. A qualified buyer may know exactly what they want and be ready to commit, yet miss the opportunity simply because somebody else clicked first.

For Revo, the question is how to give committed buyers a clear, structured way to secure the properties they value most.

That thinking sits behind two mechanisms available through Connect for selected developments: Bidding and Buy Now.

Bidding gives qualified buyers the opportunity to put forward an offer on selected properties. Buy Now gives a buyer another route – committing to a predetermined amount above asking to secure a selected property before wider release. Which approach Revo uses depends on the development, the stock and the demand around it.

Both are designed around the same principle: give genuine buyers a transparent way to show what a property is worth to them. For the buyer, that creates another route to securing the property they want. For the developer, it reveals something equally important – where the market sees value, that a first-come, first-served model may never expose.

“The fastest buyer isn’t necessarily the most committed buyer,” says Germanis. “For us, this isn’t about creating competition for the sake of it. It’s about recognising genuine commitment and giving it a fair way to participate. If that creates a better opportunity for the buyer while revealing value for the developer that might otherwise have gone unseen, then we’ve created something better for both.”

Arlo & Co. put that thinking into practice. Before public launch, qualified buyers from the Revo Forum had the opportunity to choose and secure the apartments they wanted through Buy Now, with clear pricing and the confidence of knowing exactly what they were committing to.

Buyers secured their preferred properties without the first-click scramble, while the developer unlocked additional value above asking – all before the wider market opened.

The technology is not the strategy

Connect, the Revo Forum, Bidding and Buy Now each play a role. But none of them is the strategy. 

The advantage is in the connection – turning buyer behaviour into sharper marketing, stronger sales conversations and better-informed development decisions.

That is why Revo Property and Revo Digital don’t operate as separate sales and marketing functions. They work from the same view of the development, the same understanding of the buyer and the same commercial objective. The approach is established, but the decisions are shaped around each development, its buyers and the demand in front of them.

“The point isn’t to have more data, more technology or more leads,” says Goddard. “It’s what you can do with what you learn. When marketing and sales work as one, what we learn in one part of the journey can strengthen what happens next. That is where intelligence becomes action.”

A property purchase and a development launch are two sides of the same commitment. For buyers, value lies in having a genuine opportunity to secure the property they want, on terms they understand. For developers, it’s about recognising the full potential of demand and turning it into stronger commercial outcomes. When both sides benefit, value isn’t simply captured at the point of sale. It’s created through the way the entire process comes together.

No single platform, campaign or sales team creates that advantage. It comes from connecting every part around one outcome.

For Revo, that is Working As One.

For more information visit revo-property.co.za and revo-digital.co.za, contact info@revo.co.za, call +27 21 205 3772 or WhatsApp +27 65 332 3131

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WORDS Graham Wood PHOTOS Paris Brummer

Two gigantic Agoodjie warriors stand guard outside a Plettenberg Bay home. The bronze sculptures by artist Nandipha Mntambo are from a series inspired by the Amazonian palace guards in Dahomey (modern-day Benin), an elite regiment of women warriors. Their spirit presides over the house in more ways than one. The house is actually “Twin Residences”, as architect Marielise van der Merwe of MVDM Architects dubbed them – separate but connected, meant for two generations of the same family. (The owner’s son is an architect, and gave valuable input on key decisions.) And these sculptures and others (including a large Edoardo Villa on the front lawn) are part of an art collection – carefully curated by the owner, an avid collector – that’s central to the spirit of the place. It relates to Marielise’s approach, and her thinking about “the relationship between architecture and art, and the way they communicate with each other”.

To start with, she says, the site demanded a certain architectural presence. Situated on a prominent spot at the end of Beachy Head Road, the buildings overlook the Beacon Island Hotel, Robberg and the beach, and had to hold their own among those landmarks when being looked at. The MVDM design team’s philosophy, however, strives for something more than simple attention-grabbing tactics. Whatever boldness the design has, she believes, needs to be equalled by a sense of harmony. Being visible also means that, as much as it was designed to capture views, the home needed to protect the privacy of its owners.

Marielise’s solution drew on something close to her heart: the organic architecture of the legendary 20th-century architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Her father – also an architect – spent time at Wright’s winter home/studio/architecture laboratory Taliesin West in Arizona as a young man, getting first-hand inspiration from the master. Marielise describes Wright’s organicism as a philosophy in which architecture “stems” or “flows from” its natural setting, emerging from the landscape rather than imposing on it. Architecture and landscape need to complement and enhance each other.

That was no small order. Not only does the approach demand a certain poetry, but the site, she explains, was “steep as hell” – and sandy. The foundation required more than 200 piles, so it is quite literally “embedded”. “The entire house is carved into the hillside,” she says. “This project would not have been possible without SGB Construction, who handled the site’s complexities with grace and capability.” Its rounded edges and curves were inspired as much by the dunes as “the sea, and the mountains in the background”, reinterpreted to create powerful sculptural forms. Its bulk, however, is fragmented, so that the structure doesn’t appear monolithic. The separation or pulling apart of the two residences also helps to open the architecture to its surroundings, allowing the setting to flow through and around the house. Ribbons, swoops and wavelike forms add grace and movement. As much as the home draws you in, its interiors also spill out into courtyards and nooks. There’s a kind of motion in the experience of the architecture, and in its form.

Inside, a sculptural staircase opens up a triple-volume central well, with light pouring in from above. “The staircase is probably the centrepiece around which the whole building is organised,” says Marielise. “It weighs more than a tonne…” Which is to say, its presence at the heart of the home adds another layer of bespoke craft.

Marielise and the MVDM design team were responsible for the interior design, too. Again echoing Wright, the house embodies a “unified” approach, in which architecture, interiors and furniture come together in concert, guided by a single hand and a singular vision. She refers often to the idea of a “golden thread” that runs through every aspect of the design, from the grand scale to the tiniest detail, drawing on local handicraft to soften and humanise the sculptural concrete, glass and steel. Handmade tiles from Wolkberg Casting Studios, used in abundance, in many ways echo the organic forms of the building itself, reprising its themes on an intimate scale. The beautiful finishes feature on interior and exterior walls, creating a seamless continuity between inside and out. At times, too, the joinery blends with the architecture, serving as walls and room dividers.

The theme of context through craft continues in details such as the specially commissioned mohair rugs and textiles by Frances van Hasselt and The Ninevites, which again reflect the signature forms of the architecture. Pendant lights by Ashanti Design, suspended in the stairwell, bring in colour. Marielise added her own touches to the furniture, for example by tracing the forms of the headboards for the manufacturers. She did bring in some outside influences in furnishings sourced from the likes of Ligne Roset – pieces that easily harmonised with the existing architectural shapes and forms. These help to create a context of luxury and sophistication that brings out those characteristics in the locally manufactured items.

Perhaps for this reason, the house receives the owner’s art collection – a deeply personal layer – with ease and generosity. And those giant Agoodjie warriors extend the artistic spirit outwards, protecting a space for life within, rather than against enemies from without. mvdmarchitects.com | @mvdm.architects

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Courtesy of SAOTA

Tracing SAOTA’s 40-year journey, the exhibition at Brundyn Arts & Culture in Cape Town, presented in partnership with Poliform, invites visitors to look closely at how architecture is made.

Through architectural models, large-scale imagery and accounts of the practice’s design process that has developed over four decades, Shaped by Place: 40 Years of Architectural Practice reveals how spaces relate to one another.

SAOTA began in a small Sea Point apartment in 1986 and moved to Church Street in 1992, the street on which the exhibition now opens. Its approach developed within a wider Cape tradition of responding to climate, landscape and life between indoors and out.

“Cape Town taught us to look carefully at how a building sits in its landscape and how people move between inside and outside. Those questions have stayed with us as we’ve worked elsewhere. Bringing the work back to Church Street feels particularly meaningful,” says Stefan Antoni, SAOTA principal.

“We want people to see how an architectural idea develops through questions, drawings and conversations. Sharing that process gives younger architects something they can test against their own experience. After forty years, we have knowledge to pass on, and the exhibition is also an opportunity to hear what others are asking of architecture,” says Greg Truen, SAOTA principal.

The exhibition invites students, emerging architects and the wider public into the discussions that shape the practice’s work.

Throughout October, talks with SAOTA principals and invited guests will explore architectural practice, social opportunity, the Cape’s modernist heritage and the implications of automation for design. Upcoming talks include:

The exhibition takes its name from SAOTA’s new monograph, Shaped by Place, which is available for pre-order. Through projects and reflections, the book develops the exhibition’s ideas beyond the gallery. Its four themes are Form and Foundations, Atmosphere and Experience, Context and Culture, and Legacy and Influence.

Shaped by Place: 40 Years of Architectural Practice runs until 31 October at Brundyn Arts & Culture, Mandela Rhodes Place, 21 Church Street, Cape Town. saota.com | @_saota

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WORDS Palesa Mohola PHOTOS Eduardo Macarios

Located in the bustling coastal neighbourhood of Praia Brava in southern Brazil – a beach destination known for its strong waves – Apto Bravissima was designed not only to blend in with the natural landscape but also to double as a retreat for slowing down and spending time with family. The 372 sqm design incorporates a minimalist approach with subtle references to a coastal setting, beginning with a revision of the original floor plan to better use space and shape the layout around the family’s needs.

Wood and stone were predominantly used throughout the apartment, with finishes of a matte, natural appearance that reinforce the inviting and timeless character of the interiors. Masonry was adapted in the support areas, including the kitchen and laundry room, to improve everyday functionality without straying far from the design concept.

Removing visual and physical barriers between the interior and exterior created a continuous spatial experience that enhances natural light, ventilation and the ocean views. This began with the creation of a multipurpose space designed with the grandchildren in mind – a room intended for spending time together, whether studying or playing, while also providing additional support for the bedroom suites.

This idea extended to the balcony and surrounding landscape, which were designed by Terraco Paisagismo, a contemporary exterior architecture and landscaping firm that installed gardens on the balconies, establishing visual continuity with the natural surroundings.

The lighting scheme celebrates the natural interaction between light and space, letting daylight shape the interior as it shifts throughout the day. Indirect lighting and table lamps introduce softer, more intimate layers of brightness, creating a space that feels both considered and inviting. Finer details include Danish-designed lamps that the clients selected on their travels; for this family, these are not merely lighting fixtures but pieces that bring a sense of history to the interior, threading sentimental value into the design narrative. | @simaramello

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With 300 locations worldwide and seven Best International Estate Agency Marketing Awards, Fine & Country’s expert Luxury Property Advisors combine local market knowledge with international reach.

This dual offering is powerful because it provides nuance.

Locally, it’s understanding that no two markets are the same. Every suburb offers a different lifestyle, and every home has its own character. Globally, it’s exposure, credibility, and a shared commitment to presenting exceptional homes with care.

Together, local luxury and global expertise fuel a singular promise: whether you’re investing in Cape Point or selling a townhouse in London, you’ll be in the hands of experienced professionals equipped with market-relevant pricing, timing, and negotiation insights.

After all, moving home is one of life’s most important financial and emotional decisions. And it looks different to everyone. Built on unique presentation, widespread exposure, and a luxury service experience from consultation to completion, Fine & Country’s award-winning marketing strategy is dedicated to the small differences that make a home stand out.

The result is a selection of properties with features that extend far beyond a postal code or plot size. Fine & Country looks for the story that lies beyond the listing.

Discover a remarkable home, or evaluate your own with Fine & Country – a network built on trust, service, and a considered approach to luxury real estate.

Explore or appraise a property at fineandcountry.co.za.

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WORDS Graham Wood PHOTOS Sarah de Pina

When Rolf Nel and Karen Smith decided to build this house, it represented more than just a building that would tick off items on a preconceived “shopping list” of architectural requirements. Theirs was a marriage later in life – they both had grown-up families – and building a house was about giving tangible form to their new life together, not just luxury or comfort.

Although not an architect himself, Rolf is from a family of architects, and had a “convoluted idea of what architecture should look like” – but how it felt was more important. “We had our story,” he says. Rolf and Karen had found a corner stand in Midstream Estate in Centurion, overlooking a section of veld and trees that had been preserved as part of a greenbelt, with views that seemed to stretch on forever, to the horizon.

The stand had its challenges. When the couple initially took architects Johan Wentzel and Grete van As of W Design Architecture Studio (WDAS) to the site, however, the architects recall only a “scraped” patch of ground. The estate’s architectural guidelines, Johan and Grete felt, didn’t off er a design language that would make the most of the opportunities presented by the natural context. “Usually, when we start a design, we have something to guide us, something to grab onto,” says Johan. Here, they found nothing.

With their hands tied, they decided to propose something radical: nothing. Or at least something that looked as if it was barely there. “It’s something we’ve always dreamt of doing – building a building that doesn’t exist,” says Johan. If that sounds paradoxical, consider the shelter of a cave or a tree: it makes a space, it becomes a place, but it isn’t architecture. Johan and Grete decided to simply do something akin to “pulling the veld outside over the stand like a blanket”.

Architecturally speaking, the home took the form of an earth-covered ground fl oor housing the public spaces and living areas, with a barn-like bedroom structure on the upper level, clad in roof sheeting. The only “presence” on the site, it’s as simple an architectural expression as you’ll fi nd anywhere.

They called on legendary landscape designer Patrick Watson to bring the veld back, something he is perhaps uniquely qualified to do. (A recent monograph of his work is titled Veld.) The result is a house and garden that merge with the nature beyond, the house itself “folded in”.

The illusion of disappearing architecture is enhanced with some deft architectural trickery. The slight downward slope of the driveway, for example, is countered with two landscaped berms on either side that rise to the height of the first floor. The roof has been planted with tall, swaying grass (as high as an adult or higher) so that, from the street, the landscape appears to roll out almost uninterrupted. “If the wind blows through the grass, it is absolutely magical,” says Grete. The first-floor “barn” seems to be floating in a field.

The massive, three-metre-wide, brass-clad pivot front door intentionally requires a bit of effort to push open. The effect is one of descending to an underground entrance, when in fact it’s a perfectly normal one-storey building at this point – although, with the placement of large dolomite rocks sourced from a nearby excavation, it certainly has a subterranean cave-like feeling. “It’s almost like portal from one world to another,” says Johan.

The entrance hall is another disappearing act. While an Angus Taylor sculpture greets you as you walk in, you find yourself in a minimalist box. “It’s just open and extended views,” says Grete. “It starts to feel almost infinite.” It’s as if you’ve left the world of suburbia far behind. “Your immediate impression is this incredible sense of peace,” says Rolf. “You feel an absolute connection with nature.”

Inside, the volumes are generous, and centred on a large, open living area. It’s a pared-down space, quiet and free of distractions. But it is warm and rich in natural colours and textures, never distracting from its setting. Rolf describes it as a space that “holds you in a way that’s really comfortable and beautiful”.

He explains that he and Karen often have their children and grandchildren visiting on weekends, filling the living area with activity. Karen loves to cook, so the kitchen is central. “Everyone chips in,” he says. “It becomes a festive occasion.” At the same time, he adds, when it’s just him and Karen at home, what comes to the fore again is the connection with the “untamed spirit” of the veld.“

Our story is about connection,” says Rolf. “It’s about connection to people, and it’s about connection to nature. The house holds you comfortably in the present.” | wdas.co.za

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