WORDS Robyn Alexander/Bureaux PRODUCTION Sven Alberding/Bureaux PHOTOS Greg Cox/Bureaux

“It was an old two-bedroom cottage on a vast 1 200m2 plot,” says homeowner Erica Schalkwyk. This was back in 2018, when she and her husband Werner bought the property, “gave the cottage a lick of paint, and moved in”. Their intention was always to redevelop, creating a new home situated towards the back of the long, relatively narrow piece of land. But, she explains, “We first had to live in it, plan, save and start our family.”

For three years, that’s what they did. “We had no timeline; we were enjoying the home as it was,” says Erica. “We waited for life to happen.” The couple now have two sons – five-year-old Mynhardt and three-year-old Migael. They eventually started the build in 2021, moving into the completed house in May 2022, but only fi nished the garage at the end of 2025. It’s been slow, steady going.

The couple asked architect Ruan Marsh of Monograph Architects to assist them with the design of the new house. Ruan and his practice partner Kevin Coetzee like to create work that isn’t style-bound, but that originates in critical regionalism – an idea that stresses the importance of architectural responses to site, local context and climate, as well as the client’s brief and needs. “The condition of the existing house was good, but its position on the site was not ideal, leaving a large, underutilised garden towards the back,” Ruan says. “The house also wasn’t functional for Erica and Werner – they host fairly big gatherings of people regularly, and needed a space more suited to this. Monograph aims to create spaces in which clients can experience delight and form core memories. We want to make great spaces the norm.”

A major part of the Schalkwyks’ overall design brief was that they wanted the biggest garden possible. The site is 15m by 76m, and north-facing on the street side of the narrow end; the land is also quite steeply sloped, with a change in level of just under fi ve metres from one end to the other. And both the clients and their architect wanted to ensure that, in Ruan’s words, “the connection between indoors and out be as seamless as possible”.

The design solution was to push the building all the way back, puncture it with courtyards, and use split levels for the garden level, says Ruan. “Inside the house, we wanted to create a public-private divide using levels as well.” As a result, the bedrooms and more private work and play spaces for the family are situated at the rear of the home, up two short flights of stairs.

“The design plays with light in creative ways, to draw the eye towards certain elements of the spaces and really connect with the outdoors,” says Ruan. This starts right at the front of the home with the wooden slatted enclosure within which the kitchen-diner is situated. “Kitchens should have morning and afternoon sun,” he says – and the timber slats create the variable shade needed within this glass-clad area. The timber is from the original 2018 conceptual sketch, and the fins are a shading device for east and west, with panels that can be opened in sections. In addition, the slats are “used to create oneness vertically in that element of the house” because there is a mini floor underneath for laundry and storage; it functions as a “basement” but is also light-filled and functional.

Adding an extra dimension of light to the dining area beyond the kitchen is a narrow courtyard on the eastern side, which enables morning light to enter this space. There are several compact, planted courtyards across the floor plan; they function as light wells and as a way to create natural air fl ow through the interior. “They create visual interest via the planted greenery, and are a further connection with the outside,” says Ruan.

Another noteworthy aspect of the design is the way undulating – rather than rigidly geometric – connections are made within the house. This “eases transitions between spaces”, says Ruan, adding that this sort of movement has a more human scale and feel, and is part of age-old principles of design encapsulated in traditions such as feng shui. The gradual stepping up of levels towards the more private zones of the house is an additional element of this thoughtful approach to layout.

The striking wooden slats that enclose the front edge of the facade are something of an homage to the design of Johannesburg’s Circa art gallery, creating an effect Erica very much wanted. Having worked as an interior designer for over a decade prior to “giving it up to enjoy this stage of life with small children”, she currently designs and makes jewellery – but she also conceptualised all of her home’s interiors. She and Werner spent many years putting together a collection of South African designer furniture, wall art and sculptures. “I wanted our new home to have that gallery feel,” says Erica. “Every single nook is designed with a specific art piece in mind.” The interiors combine bold, earthy neutrals with a strong monochrome colour theme, with additional visual and tactile interest created through skilful layering of natural textures, from wood and steel to leather and stone.

The house is designed to function as a unified whole in which, Erica explains, “the entire living space – the patio, living room, dining area, kitchen and pool – is in use daily.” And when asked about her favourite among these areas, she responds, “The patio! We spend all our time there.” Warmly welcoming, always connected and very much a true reflection of everything the Schalkwyks value and enjoy, their home is perfectly attuned to their wants and needs. | monograph-architects.com

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WORDS Martin Jacobs PHOTOS Aiste Rakauskaite, Andrew Lee, Iwan Baan, Tom Powel Imaging© 2025 Calder Foundation New York/Artists Rights Society New York, Jason keen, Jason O’Rear

LOST SHTETL MUSEUM Šeduva, Lithuania

When architect Rainer Mahlamä ki, of Finland’s Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Architects, fi rst visited the Lithuanian town of Šeduva a decade ago with the intention of better understanding the site of the museum he was to design, it was the landscape that lingered. “I was struck by the open sky, the vast agricultural landscape, the adjacent cemetery, the quiet sound of the wind, and the grey houses of the countryside,” he says. Ten years on, the recently opened Lost Shtetl Museum is not just sitting in that landscape, it’s in dialogue with it. In August 1941, just short of 700 Jewish residents of Šeduva were executed in a nearby forest, an act marking the town’s destruction. The museum, built to commemorate not only the loss of life but also of Jewish and European culture, takes the form of a small shtetl (or village).

A collection of individual houses – each echoing the dimensions of a single-family dwelling, their interiors canopied by the pitch of their roofs rather than ceilinged – are interconnected by short passageways. The effect is twofold: it nods to Šeduva’s pre-war skyline while cleverly allowing for possible future expansion. The facades are constructed from shingle-like recyclable aluminium sheets which, up close, are textured, setting up a constant play of light across their silvery-white surfaces. For Mahlamäki, this wasn’t simply a reference to the weathered farm buildings that dot rural Lithuania, but an intentional counterpoint to the darker, rougher material palettes that characterise many Holocaust memorials.

The surrounding gardens and cemetery, conceived in collaboration with Enea Landscape Architecture, form a memorial park shaped by the idea of the last journey. The garden rooms – an orchard, wetlands and a flowering meadow – reimagine the landscapes that Jewish residents may have encountered en route to the forest, translating absence into a verdant presence. | lostshtetl.com

CALDER GARDENS Philadelphia, USA

Hemmed in by a highway, on-ramps and the city’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway – and with the Barnes Foundation, Rodin Museum and Philadelphia Museum of Art within a stone’s throw – it was inevitable that Pritzker Prize-winning architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron would embrace a novel approach to the design of Calder Gardens. The museum is dedicated to an ever-changing selection of work by the late (and great) Alexander Calder, a Philadelphian sculptor best known for his kinetic mobiles.

“Form, colour and movement are the most obvious aspects in Calder’s art,” says Jason Frantzen, senior partner at the firm. “When the concept for Calder Gardens was conceived, it sought to avoid rather than adopt the use of these characteristics as possible design elements. Likewise, the design avoids the monumental architecture of the museums that line the parkway. With these parameters in mind, it was decided that the face of this project should not be a building – instead, it is a garden with a building within.”

Designed by lauded Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf, the garden is a showstopper, with his trademark pairing of plants and time as mediums. Heavily season-, weather- and light-dependent, the plantings are in a constant state of flux, unfolding across outdoor rooms that include a woodland, prairie matrix (composed of mostly North American species) and perennial meadow. On entering the garden, the architecture slowly reveals itself, initially in the form of a disc-shaped plaza (which doubles as a roof to the subterranean museum). Flanking the plaza are sunken open-air galleries carved into the ground; these off er protected outdoor spaces for sculptures, and draw natural light into the interiors, most a fusion of off -shutter, polished and shotcrete concrete. | caldergardens.org

NEW MUSEUM New York, USA

First opened in 1997 and in its current lower Manhattan premises since 2007, New Museum is the only one in our roundup that – ironically, given its name – isn’t entirely new. (It’s the only museum in Manhattan dedicated exclusively to contemporary art, describing itself as “future-facing, not a place for preserving and recording history”.) A recently completed addition, adjacent to the museum’s iconic flagship building by architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA, doubles New Museum’s exhibition space.

While it’s not uncommon for architects to be commissioned to design new wings alongside significantly older buildings, here the brief was trickier: contemporary beside contemporary. The architects helming the project – OMA’s Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu – had to grapple with that notion. “While maintaining the architectural integrity of the original building, our design seeks to create a new whole rather than two halves, adding space and openness with its own distinct identity,” says Shigematsu of the solution, which mirrors SANAA’s language in a manner that’s more suited to our times.

Located on Prince Street in the Bowery, the seven-storey extension connects to the original building on three floors, with ceiling heights accurately aligned. But while SANAA’s building is visually impenetrable from outside, OMA’s design opts for laminated glass with a metal mesh interlayer across its facades. Broad stripes running down the street-facing facade of the faceted structure are rendered in mesh-free glass, lending a heightened sense of transparency – especially at night – that connects those inside with the city, and engages passers-by with the goings-on and displays indoors. Semi-outdoor terraces with triangular apertures further encourage a dialogue with Manhattan. | newmuseum.org

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At 80 St George’s Mall, the former Waldorf Arcade is entering its next chapter.

Originally completed in 1988, the landmark building is being thoughtfully transformed into Arlo & Co. – a mixed-use residential destination that brings together heritage architecture, hospitality-led living and professionally managed investment opportunities within the heart of Cape Town’s Central City.

Comprising 276 residences, including studios, lofts, one- and two-bedroom apartments priced from R1.275 million (VAT inclusive), Arlo & Co. has been conceived as a hosted residential address where exceptional design, curated amenities and seamless ownership come together under one roof.

Unlike a conventional residential development, Arlo & Co. has been designed around a professionally managed aparthotel model operated by Revo Stay, allowing owners to enjoy the flexibility of contemporary city living while benefiting from an investment model tailored to one of South Africa’s strongest-performing short-term rental markets.

Responding to a Changing Cape Town

Arlo & Co. arrives at a time when Cape Town continues to cement its position as South Africa’s leading residential property market.

Cape Town has firmly established itself as South Africa’s strongest-performing residential property market, consistently outperforming every other major metropolitan area over the past five years. Driven by sustained semigration, constrained housing supply, growing international demand and a resilient tourism sector, the city continues to attract both local and international buyers seeking long-term capital growth and investment stability.

That momentum is particularly evident within the Central City, where continued public and private investment has reinforced confidence in precincts such as Greenmarket Square and St George’s Mall, transforming them into vibrant mixed-use neighbourhoods where people increasingly choose not only to work and visit, but to live.

Against this backdrop, professionally managed residential assets have emerged as an increasingly attractive proposition for buyers seeking both lifestyle and long-term investment performance.

More Than a Residential Address

Beyond the residences themselves, Arlo & Co. introduces a hospitality-led way of living rarely seen within Cape Town’s city centre.

Residents will enjoy a dedicated General Manager and concierge, purpose-built co-working spaces, a fully equipped gymnasium, an open-air atrium, rooftop clubhouse, swimming pool, private entertainment spaces and panoramic views across Table Mountain, the city skyline and Table Bay.

At street level, the building will also welcome Mojo Greenmarket, a vibrant new food and entertainment destination brought to life by the acclaimed team behind Sea Point’s iconic Mojo Market.

Rather than functioning simply as a food hall, Mojo Greenmarket has been conceived as an extension of the building’s everyday rhythm – bringing together artisan food, boutique bars, live entertainment and curated retail beneath one remarkable address.

Together, these elements create a residential experience shaped as much around community, hospitality and connection as they are around ownership.

Respecting the Past While Designing for the Future

Designed by TwoFiveFive Architects, Arlo & Co. carefully preserves the defining character of the original Waldorf Arcade while introducing a contemporary architectural language inspired by its heritage.

“From the beginning, our ambition was to honour the character of the original building while reimagining it for the way people live today. Every architectural decision was made to ensure its heritage remains visible, relevant and enduring for generations to come,” says Conrad Janse van Rensburg, Associate Director at TwoFiveFive Architects.

That same philosophy continues throughout the interiors, where refined detailing, warm materiality and subtle Art Deco influences create residences that feel timeless rather than trend-driven.

Exclusive furniture collections curated by Maison & Marble in collaboration with Hertex Haus further extend this thinking, allowing buyers to move into professionally designed homes that are equally suited to owner occupation or immediate short-term letting.

A Different Kind of Investment

According to Emanuel Germanis, Group CEO of Revo, today’s buyers are increasingly seeking investment opportunities that combine strong market fundamentals with operational simplicity.

“Cape Town’s residential market continues to demonstrate exceptional resilience, but buyers are looking for far more than location alone. They want professionally managed assets that simplify ownership while delivering an exceptional living experience. Arlo & Co. responds directly to that shift, bringing together heritage, hospitality and investment within one thoughtfully hosted address. Our role has been to shape a brand and go-to-market strategy that reflects the calibre of the development itself, creating an experience that begins long before a buyer receives their keys.”

Professionally managed by Revo Stay, Arlo & Co.‘s aparthotel model has been designed to remove much of the complexity traditionally associated with short-term rental ownership, offering dedicated on-site management, hospitality services and operational expertise that allow owners to benefit from Cape Town’s thriving visitor economy with confidence.

A Shared Vision

Developed by Freedom Properties, Arlo & Co. reflects the company’s long-term approach to recognising the potential within significant urban buildings and thoughtfully repositioning them for contemporary living.

Rather than replacing the character of the Waldorf Arcade, the development extends its story – contributing to the continued evolution of one of Cape Town’s most historic precincts while creating a residential destination designed to remain relevant for decades to come.

Sales for Arlo & Co. officially go live on Thursday, 20 August 2026 at 12 pm, with residences priced from R1.275 million (VAT inclusive). The development’s go-to-market strategy has been led by Revo Digital, with buyers able to reserve apartments online through Connect, Revo’s interactive real-time sales platform, while all sales are managed exclusively by Revo Property.

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WORDS Neyani Mphephu PHOTOS Supplied

In the past, greenery in urban settings has often been seen as an aesthetic addition rather than a functional necessity, and almost always the first line item cut when a development budget tightens – which is exactly what makes green connectivity, the growing movement to weave nature through the built environment as deliberate, functioning infrastructure, one of the more quietly radical ideas reshaping urban design in cities like Lisbon, Bangkok and Cape Town.

Green connectivity goes beyond simply planting trees. It is the deliberate weaving of natural systems such as street canopies, green corridors, pocket forests, urban farms and water-sensitive landscaping through the built fabric of a city, so that nature does not merely sit alongside urban life but moves through and with it.

It is this thinking that drives the work of organisations like Mission for Inner City Cape Town, whose Greening Lead, Vincent Truter, describes the city’s green network in terms that go well beyond horticulture. “Every street, every park and every public space is not only part of an ecological system,” he says. “It is also part of a nervous system. It is quietly influencing how people feel, how they move and how they recover from the intensity of urban life.”

At its core, green connectivity challenges cities to treat green space as essential infrastructure, not just an amenity. And it has a host of environmental benefits that address global warming.

The hothouse

Cities are getting hotter in every sense. There have been a number of successful initiatives globally to combat rising temperatures in metropolitan centres. One of these programmes is Forestami – launched in Milan in 2019 – an urban forestation initiative that includes creating green roofs and restoring polluted land in the Italian city, with the aim of planting 3 million trees by 2030.

Since its launch, research conducted in the metropolitan area found that urban forests provided an average cooling effect of 3.5°C on mean temperatures and up to 5.5°C on maximum temperatures within a 180-metre range. A clear demonstration of green connectivity working in practice with measurable results.

Cape Town’s tree canopy cover was measured at only 6% in 2020, against a world norm of 10% to qualify as an urban forest. Cllr Francine Higman, Ward Councillor for the City of Cape Town, warns that “if we don’t continue investing in greening, we risk creating places that become increasingly hot, less resilient to climate change and ultimately less attractive places to live, work and invest.”

Georgina Smit, CEO of the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), echoes Francine’s warning: “If we do not intentionally weave green spaces into our development strategy, we risk losing critical green and blue resources and their myriad benefits.”

While one of the most overlooked benefits of urban greenery is its ability to cool cities naturally, Vincent argues that what is even less discussed is what trees do to the human nervous system. “Breathing slows. Conversation changes. Children move differently,” he explains. “Green spaces are not only performing ecological work. They are also performing nervous system regulation.”

Beyond the green

A truly green-connected space goes beyond planting trees on a pavement.

Georgina cites Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate in Stellenbosch as a leading example. It’s the first estate in Africa to achieve a 6-Star Green Star Sustainable Precincts certification, with its on-site nursery, pocket forests, green corridors, urban farm and circular waste processing.

Closer to the city, Green Point Park demonstrates similar thinking at a much larger scale. Its Biodiversity Showcase Garden is home to approximately 300 indigenous plant species and 25 000 individual trees, shrubs and groundcovers, while a sustainable water system sourced from the Oranjezicht spring saves roughly 580 million litres of potable water annually.

But designing a green space is only the beginning. Ensuring that it survives and thrives requires long-term care, partnerships and community stewardship. “Success isn’t simply measured by how many trees we plant. It’s measured by whether those trees survive, mature and continue to expand the canopy,” says Francine. Connected green space, she emphasises, should always be designed around people: “shade where people actually walk, seating, accessible public spaces, biodiversity and opportunities for people to spend time outdoors.”

Future forward

The next evolution of cities may not be primarily technological, but relational. “The question is not whether cities will become greener. That trajectory is already underway,” says Vincent. “The more important question is whether they will become more coherent across their systems. Because cities do not only shape landscapes. They shape people.” missionforinnercity.org | @missionforinnercityct

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Matej Hakár

Defined by its seamless connection to the outdoors, Banánka House embraces its surroundings through a raw, honest use of natural materials, a restrained horizontal form, and a minimalist aesthetic.

The clients had a clear brief for local architecture studio Paulíny Hovorka Architects: design a single-storey home fully connected to its rocky, woodland garden, orientated to maximise sunlight without disturbing a single existing tree.

The response is a Y-shaped plan, with three wings extending outward at 120-degree angles – each positioned to weave between the trees, carving the plot into intimate spaces, every room opening onto its own private corner of the green.

The structure of the house is solid and expressive. The brushed board-formed monolithic concrete ceilings, concrete interior walls, and prefabricated parapet panels are offset by crushed stone encased in galvanised mesh gabions that flow from the exterior into the interior, all complemented by wooden cladding, floors, and decking. Windows feature ultra-slim frames and can be fully retracted into wall pockets to maximise the visual and spatial connection with the outdoors. Hidden doors integrate into cladding and plastered surfaces, and the interior, which is largely free of decorative objects, is defined by custom-built furniture and a modular sofa that can be reconfigured as needed.

Internally, the house is organised around a central hall that connects both residential wings while maintaining clear separation between the parents’ suite and wellness area, and the children’s and guest rooms.

At the centre of the house, the living hall brings together the kitchen, dining, and living areas beneath a fireplace with a massive stone heat-retaining wall. Large sliding glass walls open the space fully onto a covered terrace – with a summer kitchen, grill, and outdoor dining area orientated toward the garden, pond, and forest beyond – so that on warm days, the boundary between inside and outside dissolves entirely.

The three wings are arranged around this central hub, each serving a distinct purpose: the north-facing wing contains the entrance and utility spaces, its extended roof forming both carport and sheltered entryway; the southeast wing houses three bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a multipurpose room for study and meditation; and the southwest master suite, with a bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, spacious bathroom, and sauna, connects to a smaller terrace with a hot tub and plunge pool beside the stream.

At its core, Banánka House reflects an ethos of modern simplicity, durability, and contemplative living. A home that is one with nature. | pha.sk

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Ivo Tavares

TThe brief for Casa em Melides was deceptively simple: design a family home in the Alentejo that respects the surrounding landscape. For Sabrab Architecture, the challenge was to create a modern retreat that maximises contemporary comfort without imposing itself on the land.

Carefully positioned among centuries-old cork oak trees and gently following the natural topography of the land, the home was designed with its every aspect guided by the earth. The practice sought to reinterpret Melides’ vernacular architecture through a contemporary lens, creating a series of low, horizontal volumes finished in natural lime plaster, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a pared-back material palette, allowing nature to remain the protagonist.

Inside, the approach is equally restrained. Defined by natural light, balanced proportions, and visual continuity with the outdoors, the interior atmosphere is one of tranquillity.

Here, natural materials, soft textures, and a neutral colour palette create a sense of understated elegance; contemporary lighting, bespoke timber furniture, and a carefully curated selection of collectable design pieces enrich the space without detracting from or competing with the landscape beyond the glass. | sabrab.com

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COMPILED BY Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Nicolas Mathéus (Belledonne Bubble House), Sharyn Cairns (Sydney Home), Jan Ras (AardtsCabin), Elsa Young/Bureaux (The Nest), KLG Architects (!Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre)

All these spaces from the VISI archives share one defining quality: they mimic natural formations to create a dialogue between built and natural environments. Borrowing their geometry from nests, shells, boulders and caves, and drawing their material inspiration directly from the surrounding landscape, these biomorphic homes and spaces – from the French Alps to the Namibian desert – go beyond embracing nature. They emerge from it.

Belledonne Bubble House

This remarkable house in the French Alps is home to neither the Teletubbies nor space aliens. Originally built in 1966, it was designed by Claude Costy and Pascal Häusermann, who penned a number of similar dwellings during the late ’60s and early ’70s. Conceived as a critique of Modernist radicalism, these bubble or shell houses, as they’re generally referred to, favoured curves and human proportions, and represented the duo’s idea of sculpture-as-architecture that rethought ways of living and methods of building. The couple had met at the Geneva School of Architecture (where Claude was one of the first female graduates); they designed a series of environmentally friendly buildings that promoted harmony between construction and the environment.

Given its aesthetic, it might not surprise you to learn that this particular house was originally commissioned by a yogi, who bought this beautiful parcel of land in the Belledonne mountains with the idea of founding a living and wellness space open to the public, complete with swimming pool, solarium and sauna. Karma has it that his girlfriend came across a magazine article about the Häusermann/Costy designs, and the couple duly contacted the architects, enamoured both with the houses’ design and the economical construction techniques.

Read the full feature on the Belledonne bubble house here.

Sydney Home

Designed in 1968 by icon of Australian organic architecture David Hollander, the house sits like massive boulders on a hillside, with its sweeping cement curves nestled under a canopy of gumtrees. Walk through the asymmetrical front door and you enter a cosy burrow-like interior, with winding walls, shafts of daylight coming through the skylights, and planter boxes filling the spaces with greenery. “It was nonconformist and experimental, and reflective of its time,” says passionate owner Nancy Renzi of Renzi Design, who signed on the bottom line three days after the home went on the market. “The house was absolutely stunning – I loved the way it sits in the landscape, how it feels so good inside because of the rounded walls, and the light coming through those funny windows in the ceilings. It was like a fantasy land.”

While it originally embodied the anticipation and excitement that typified the ’60s, a renovation by the former owners had unfortunately left it with echoes of the ’80s, says Nancy, and chunky timber joinery that was at odds with the floating free forms. And the security screens on the windows were jarring. “The owners had tried to make the house look normal, by introducing lots of squares and rectangles, but that is something you can never do,” she says. “They replaced the original copper fittings with shiny chrome, and introduced a palette of greys, which made it look cold and uninviting.I wanted to strip it all back and play off the form and texture – shapes are the star of the show.”

Read the full feature on this Sydney home here.

Aardts Cabin

You need game-spotter eyes to see Aardts Cabin – the kind that can spot a motionless mountain zebra cloaked in a Karoo landscape. If you possess this model of eyeball, you’ll see both on a koppie outside the Klein Karoo village of De Rust – although you’re more likely to spot the zebra first, such is the way Abrie von Wielligh’s design appears to have emerged from its rocky, scrubby surrounds. It’s a design that caught Airbnb’s eye in 2022 – the concept was one of 100 global winners of their $10-million “OMG!” competition. The rental disruptor chose 100 designs, each receiving $100 000 to facilitate the build, with the proviso it be rented out on Airbnb’s platform for a year. 

“Ag, but ja,” says Abrie dryly. “We ended up a bit short, and had to spend a little more on the construction. You know how it is when you’re building – you think, ‘Why don’t we add this and that…’” And Abrie knows dry well: although he currently lives in George, he’s originally from Namibia. “George is a bit busy and wet for us, so we started looking around for a place to get away. It didn’t make sense to have a beach house, as it’s the same climate as George.” The “we” he’s referring to are his wife Jorika and their two daughters. The family bought the piece of land near De Rust five years ago and, after walking around the property a lot, decided on a location that was hidden from the farmlands in the valley below and allowed them to burrow into the land. 

Read the full feature on Aardts Cabin here.

The Nest

In the vast ancient desert of Namibia, nature is the greatest architect. Millions of years have refined the shapes of the shelters that birds and animals create for themselves here. The gigantic nests built by sociable weaver birds in camelthorn trees – vast domed structures of twigs and grass often 3m wide – are one of the most striking examples. “They’re architectural masterpieces,” says Swen Bachran, the entrepreneur and conservationist who established the Namib Tsaris Conservancy with his neighbours in the desert, not far from the famous red dunes at Sossusvlei and the haunting 700-year-old skeletons of dead camelthorn trees at Deadvlei.

Before he owned any land in the region, he and his designer and artist friend Porky Hefer visited a spot nearby the site of The Nest, as they dubbed this fantastical house modelled on these weavers’ nests, which they created over the next eight years. At that stage, Swen was still scouting around for a potential conservation project. “Porky came to the farm and we camped on this land together,” says Swen. They sat under the camelthorn trees and marvelled at the communal nests, their perfect efficiency suggesting countless lessons in biomimicry and possibilities for vernacular design.

Read the full feature on The Nest here.

!Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre

Opened on Heritage Day, 24 September 2018, the Heritage Centre at !Khwa ttu is an exciting new museum that tells the story of the San people “in their own words”. The building is called The Way of The San.

Some of the themes explored in the various exhibition spaces are human origins, colonial encounters, hunting and gathering, storytelling, star lore, traditional remedies and play. This is done through rock art, artefacts, a recording of ambient sounds of nature, and a life-size video installation depicting various aspects of San life.

Designed by KLG Architects, the building has a glass facade and a curved roof, and an organic oval shape, a reference to traditional nomadic San shelters and the role of the ostrich egg in San culture.

Read the full feature on the !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre here.

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WORDS Palesa Mohola PHOTOS Fredrico Farinatti

Situated outside The Colombian Coffee Company on the historic and busy Petticoat Lane as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2026, the temporary public space transforms an overlooked corner of the city into a space that invites people to pause, gather and reconnect.

This year’s festival explores the theme of Belonging, celebrating architecture’s ability to bring together both the public and the design profession. Macchiato’s circular seating, developed and built by Red Collective & Jamps Studio, references the familiar coffee ring left behind after a shared cup, but it also takes us back to the age-old tradition of gathering in a circle, whether around a fire sharing a meal and telling stories or a good old huddle. Circles have always been a symbol of closeness, bringing people together in connection and community across cultures.

There could not be a more fitting setting than Petticoat Lane. For centuries, the bustling market street has been shaped by London’s working-class communities and successive waves of migration, becoming a place where cultures, traditions and stories intersect. By creating another place to gather, Macchiato quietly adds a new chapter to that history while reinforcing the street’s enduring identity as a meeting place.

Every design decision contributes to this narrative. The colours of the park blend well with its surroundings; the soft brown tones of the pebbles reflect those of both coffee and the surrounding brick buildings, allowing the installation to feel as though it has always existed in the space, seemingly worlds away from the modern buildings in the near distance.

The oxidised patches on the steel planters introduce a rustic feel that speaks to durability and reinvention, while the steel benches bring a contrast between the old and the new. The greenery, provided by Susanna Grant of LINDA and Will Sholey of Sholey Garden and Design, softens the hard urban landscape, evoking a sense of the outdoors without having to leave the city in search of nature. The pebbles in varying shades of brown can be read as a subtle nod to the different stages coffee beans go through, from being pitted to the final stage, ready to be ground into the perfect cup of coffee.

In a fast-paced era where movement is promoted and rest areas in cities are becoming scarcer, Macchiato reminds us that meaningful public spaces do not need to be extravagant – sometimes all it takes is a shared circle, a cup of coffee and a thoughtful design to create a genuine sense of belonging. Every corner on Petticoat Lane has a story to tell, and now Macchiato is the corner where all those stories are shared. | out-architecture.com

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Located at 142 Bree Street, The Madison, a new sculptural landmark by Tricolt Group, is set to add to the convivial energy of Cape Town’s most vibrant precinct.

Defined by flowing lines and a facade that responds to light, movement and perspective, The Madison is a confident, modern addition to the CBD skyline, offering uninterrupted views stretching from Table Mountain to Table Bay.

The Madison, which comprises 391 residences and rises 23 storeys above Bree Street, is shaped by the energy of its surroundings.

Designed for Creative Living

Executive Suites – Priced from R2 650 000 | $182 000 | €158 000
Ideal for secure, lock-up-and-go city living with seamless access to premium amenities. Designed for efficiency without compromise.

Executive One-Bed Apartments – Priced from R3 150 000 | $191 000 | €168 000
Perfect for professionals seeking privacy, generous proportions and elevated everyday comfort in the heart of the city.

One-Bed Apartments – Priced from R3 550 000 | $212 000 | €183 000
Well-balanced layouts designed for singles or couples who value flexibility, convenience and uninterrupted city views.

Two-Bed Apartments – Priced from R6 815 000 | $406 000 | €352 000
Thoughtfully crafted for couples or small families, offering space, flow and long-term liveability in a connected urban setting.

Penthouse Collection – Priced from R12 440 000 | $753 000 | €652 000
Live above the city in a limited selection of penthouse residences that crown The Madison and offer an elevated expression of urban luxury.

The Street That Sets the Tone

As the recognised epicentre of First Thursdays and Open Streets, Bree Street continues to draw both residents and visitors with an effortless pull.

The Madison offers a carefully curated collection of lifestyle amenities that mirror the creative spirit and pedestrian-friendly rhythm of its location:

• Concierge and reception services
• Sixth-floor podium clubhouse with swimming pool
• Landscaped outdoor leisure areas
• Cape Town’s first Gold’s Gym
• Sauna and steam rooms
• Flexible co-working spaces
• Retail, café, bar and hospitality offerings
• Secure parking and controlled access
• 24-hour CCTV and security control room

Built for Growth

For investors, The Madison presents a compelling case. Driven by strong tourism, soaring short-term rental demand and ongoing urban revitalisation, Bree Street continues to outperform as a consistently in-demand urban location.

The Madison offers early buyers the chance to secure an investment in one of Cape Town’s most tightly held and high-performing precincts, where capital growth is estimated at 10 per cent per annum. Registered buyers receive an R100 000 early investor benefit. The purchase price is VAT-inclusive and free of transfer duty.

For buyers interested in short-term rental returns, The Madison offers professional rental management, creating a seamless, hassle-free ownership experience from guest bookings to day-to-day operations.

The online sales launch takes place on 29 July 2026, with a R100 000 discount available to those who reserve on the day. Visit themadison.co.za to register and find out more.

The post A New Icon Claims Its Place on Bree Street appeared first on Visi.

WORDS Martin Jacobs PHOTOS Alex Lesage and Thom Fougere

Rising from the water as rugged stone formations crowned with windswept pines, Thirty Thousand Islands is the world’s largest freshwater archipelago. The islets, stretching along the eastern edge of Georgian Bay – part of Canada’s Great Lakes – are only accessible by canoe and kayak, rowing boat, motorboat and yacht. They spark childhood imaginings of adventure, the sort conjured by Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five or Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom. While many are so small they host only migrating birds, others cradle summer homes that soak up seclusion and serenity. On Pine Island, one such home stands quietly among bottle-green foliage – a cottage intended to weather with grace while celebrating the great outdoors, and that reimagines our innate connection to nature through contemporary design.

Montreal-based architect Adam Robinson of Bureau Tempo and multidisciplinary designer Thom Fougere, founder of his eponymous studio, spent almost four years bringing their vision to life. The two first met many years earlier, at design school. “Our collaboration worked because it was more open than prescriptive,” says Adam. “The fluid nature of the brief allowed us to respond intuitively and give ideas time to mature. Often, a conversation or sketch would unlock a new direction, reinforcing the value of giving a project room to breathe and trusting the process.”

Their canvas was the footprint of a former derelict home, their process intentionally open-ended, and their brief an evolving conversation. Client time confirmed that all were intent on crafting a home that paid homage to the elements by emphasising material honesty, tactility and texture.

This dialogue with the land began, quite literally, barefoot. “When visiting the site early on with our client, we spent time walking alongside the mottled, stone-covered beach,” says Thom. “Translating that tactile experience into the interior in unexpected ways became a guiding goal. It often came down to finding the minimum touch with the maximum impact to achieve this.”

The Y-shaped design honours Pine Island’s topography. The home’s sleeping quarters are housed in two wings, two bedrooms in one, the primary suite in the other. These wings are uppermost on the slope, maximising privacy; they connect to the house via an elevated glass walkway that steps down to a compact, oak-lined entrance hall.

“The journey to the cottage serves up an abundance of stimuli, so the entrance was conceived as a moment of calm – a reprieve for the senses – before gradually reintroducing familiar tones and textures as the space opens and reconnects you to the landscape,” says Adam. As you step into the heart of the home, light pours in through oversized apertures, including a light well. The kitchen, dining and sunken living spaces (the latter with a double-sided fireplace that warms a porch) are interconnected, cascading down the slope.

“We spent time early on discussing the idea of patina and the beauty of materials that show signs of life and wear,” says Adam. “That dialogue built trust and allowed us to propose material selections and approaches designed to age gracefully over time.”

The cottage’s many tactile surfaces speak to this philosophy. Rough-to-the-touch local fieldstone, reminiscent of rugged picnic tables, forms a monolithic kitchen island. Burnished concrete floors in the living area fall almost level with outdoor stone formations that abut windows. Wood imbues the home with warmth, like walnut and white oak for kitchen cabinetry, and Douglas fir – which will patinate and mark with use – for the dining table. Eramosa, a Canadian stone with a marble-like appearance, was flamed for bathroom floors, its weathered feel suggestive of the island’s stone underfoot. In the primary suite, cupboard doors were replaced with hand-loomed rugs, suspended from forged iron frames that sway with use and provide acoustic dampening.

The creatives paid equal attention to other sensory and mood-enhancing details. “Lighting was often at the heart of our decision-making process,” explains Adam. “We did not want to disturb the serenity of the darkness on the island, and how finishes would feel when very dimly lit was paramount in selecting materials.”

To this end, walls and ceilings were finished in plaster, its hue tinted by shifts in exterior conditions. Diff use light, like that from an Akari pendant above the dining table and lantern-like lamps throughout the home, adds warmth to rooms. Task lighting was sourced from brands such as Artemide and Flos, and bespoke cast-iron sconces repeat the blacksmith-forged tactility of wrought-iron handrails.

The home’s many bespoke finishes and furnishings nod to a collaborative personalisation of the living experience. An integrated sofa, steps and storage, for example, will acquire character with use. Commissioned tables, cabinets, benches and rugs, all in hues hand-picked from the island, speak to a contemporary aesthetic with a rustic backstory. Much like the past, with time this cottage too will become weathered and worn and lived in, its patina as rugged as that of the windswept pines. bureautempo.ca | thomfougere.com

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