COMPILED BY Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Dook; Mads Morgensen; Alan Jensen; Jack Lovel & Robert Frith; Adam Letch; Kyle Morland; Elsa Young; Lar Glutz/Bureaux

From a Buffelsbaai beachside escape to an architecturally bold Dullstroom weekend retreat, homes stand as testaments to their material: concrete. These local and international homes from the VISI Archives highlight the enduring appeal of concrete in contemporary design.

Buffelsbaai Home

Family holiday homes evoke images of blissful summer days filled with nothing but hours spent on the beach and sipping homemade (somewhat punchy) lemonade to keep cool. And this Buffelsbaai beachside gem most certainly lives up to that billing, ticking all the boxes for what’s required to ensure that the Ferreiras’ getaways are always restful, invigorating and, quite simply, a holiday.

An existing structure was demolished on this third-generation property to make way for a new home for the family. Richly reflective of the opportunities and constraints of the landscape, the design of the house was inspired by the sea and the milkwood forest that surrounds it.

As lead architect Guillaume Pienaar of Pinard Architecture says, the house skilfully combines “natural materials, colours and textures: natural timber, off-shutter concrete, rope and very rough-textured plaster that, over time, will disappear into the milkwood forest and fade in colour”, with an eye-catching structural design that will remain relevant and inspiring for many more generations.

Read the full story on this Buffelsbaai home.

Westcliff Ridge Home

It’s rare in this country that homeowners inherit a building of distinct architectural heritage, especially in a city as young as Johannesburg. So when husband and wife Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, of leading architecture studio Silvio Rech & Lesley Carstens Adventure Architecture, spied the late-1950s house at the dead-end of their lane in Westcliff’s uppermost reaches, they kept a beady eye on its movements.

“What I liked about it is that it’s so simple… We’ve been over-cluttering everything,” remarks Silvio. Still, dense overgrowth concealed the view entirely, and there were those who advised the couple to simply knock it down. Architecture devotees, however, favoured retaining its roots as an American Bungalow, and when they discovered that there was, in fact, a view beyond the trees, they did what any architect would do: they respected the building’s heritage.

Read the full story on the Westcliff Ridge Home.

Chilean House

It’s a house, but only in the broadest definition of the term, says co-owner Sofia von Ellrichshausen of this structure in the foothills of the Andes mountains in central Chile. She and fellow architect and artist Mauricio Pezo have been sharing their academic and artistic lives for the past two decades, and together head up the internationally renowned art and architecture studio Pezo von Ellrichshausen.

The couple built their new home in a secluded area surrounded by forest and freshwater channelled through small streams that come down from the mountains. Impressively big, it manages not to impose on its surroundings. “We call it a house, and it is our private home – but we also consider it a cultural centre, as it is meant for more than domestic use. It is a place for our creative expression, and ideally, it will live on beyond our lifetime to become a creative space for other humanist and creative people,” says Sofia.

Read the full story on this Chilean Home.

Monaghan Farm House

This house in Monaghan Farm in Lanseria, on a beautiful spot overlooking a bend in the Jukskei River, began with a bold, Brutalist architectural idea – but the result is an incredibly subtle, sensitive response to its setting. The owners, Wendy and Lukas van Niekerk wanted a home made entirely of steel and raw, exposed concrete, and this spectacular plot of land offered them the chance to build from scratch. Lukas, an engineer, is a huge fan of the work of 20th-century Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, who is famous for his sensitive use of concrete as well as experiments with concrete and steel – and the Van Niekerks’ architect, Enrico Daffonchio, went to school in Scarpa’s hometown of Venice in Italy. The fates had aligned.

Despite what Enrico refers to as its “strong architectural language”, the house they designed together is nestled into the landscape and, when viewed from higher up the hill, is practically invisible (helped by the green roofs planted with endemic grasses to recreate the landscape it’s built on). It is, quite literally, sunken into the landscape to keep its presence unobtrusive.

You descend from street level to the front door via steps that lead to a path through a courtyard. The bold simplicity of the forms – the slim, straight lines of the roof and overhangs – belie the complexity of the way the house is knitted into its setting, with courtyards and “green fingers” all around bringing the landscape and vegetation up to and between the rooms.

Read the full story on the Monaghan Farm House.

Dullstroom Weekend Home

There’s a defining principle in modern architecture called “truth to materials”. Its aim is to celebrate the intrinsic qualities of a material without corruption, laying bare character and construction. The Fall, a week­end home outside Dullstroom, pays homage to this notion with its audacious use of concrete and its bare­bones appeal.

“A shelter that sits crouched, backed up against the steep hill,” is how architect Paul Oosthuizen describes it. He says “shelter” as a throwback to his time spent studying the site, in awe of the thunderous water crashing into the gorge. The house was to be a refuge in direct conversation with the waterfall. “The hexahedron formation of the rock, eroded with soft edges, became a compelling navigator. I extruded these shapes out of the land; strung together like a spine, they became alive.”

“I did a double take when Paul showed us his initial drawings,” says owner Anthony Hare. He and his wife Robyn have since fallen in love with the house, which has stirred mixed reactions in the Dullstroom community. The farm has been in Anthony’s family since the 1960s and is now planted with 3 hectares of cherries. “I grew up here as a young boy on fishing trips,” he recalls nostalgically. His yearn­ing to create something exceptional on the same land has nagged for years

Read the full story on this Dullstroom weekend home.

Maastricht Loft

Create a comfortable family loft” was the brief given to Dax and Joyce Roll of Nicemakers. At least, that was the easy part of it; the rest requested “a home where furniture designer Jean Prouvé meets interior designer Joseph Dirand; where Bauhaus architecture meets the glamour of the Chrysler Building; where interiors specialists Roman and Williams meet the series Mad Men; and where minimal architect Peter Zumthor meets The Wolf of Wall Street’s Jordan Belfort”. It must’ve made for an interesting mood board for the Amsterdam- based interior design studio – but in their favour was a portfolio of successfully completed projects that includes a city-centre canal house, a country farmhouse, a 19th-century mansion, a 1960s bungalow, and the re-styling of De L’Europe hotel in Amsterdam.

The starting point for this latest project was a concrete loft in the south of the Netherlands, with a roof terrace providing great views of Maastricht’s city centre. “Every new project starts with freedom – freedom of thought and inspiration – and a story or an atmosphere,” says Dax. “That is our approach – and luckily in this instance, given their briefing, also that of our clients.” Their clients were a couple who had grown up in Maastricht. The building, originally designed as living space for local nurses – each window belonged to a single room furnished with a simple bed, desk and wardrobe – was later also used as office space. When it was first put on the market, the couple moved quickly, buying one of the apartments on the ninth floor and both apartments on the 10th floor. Along with this combination came a roof terrace with 360-degree panoramic views and, as an extra, a secret observatory/sky lounge above that.

Read the full story on this Maastricht loft.

Roscommon House

The clients wanted a family home with “a strong sense of belonging” that would age with grace, remaining relevant and highly versatile through all stages of life. To realise this brief, Neil looked to the history of the site’s suburb for direction – the town’s planning, nearby architecture and the ideals of the original subdivision.

Simplistic in form, the house spans a singular floor, with the exterior boasting a careful contrast of concrete blocks – some bold and square, others sculpted into elongated oval shapes that add an organic feel to the rawness. Materials chosen for their ability to age like family heirlooms dominate the space in an arresting juxtaposition of wood, marble, terrazzo, velvet, timber and glass. Outdoor furniture includes the Basket chair, designed by Nanna and Jørgen Ditzel and the Boma collection, designed by Rodolfo Dordoni, both created for international outdoor furniture brand Kettal.

Read the full story on the Roscommon House.

Lanseria Eco-estate Home

The site, sun and climate were integral to the design process and we drew inspiration from these elements,” says Enrico Daffonchio, who together with Leigh Maurtin designed the home with extensive input from the owners Lukas and Wendy van Niekerk.

The team were very familiar with the ecological guidelines of the estate as Daffonchio Architects had helped draft them. All of the properties are single storey, cut into the ground to minimise the impact on the horizon: The house is sunk to account for the natural ground level and slope of the estate, so each property has a view over the one in front of them.

This home, which is designed as a set of pavilions with deep overhangs, separated by a series of courtyards and green fingers that act as sheltered outdoor living spaces, is further camouflaged from its neighbours thanks to its roof gardens. The entire footprint is covered in native vegetation so that the boundary between the house and surrounding grasslands is almost indiscernible from above.

Read the full story on this Lanseria eco-estate home.

Paarl House

You’d be forgiven for inferring that the domed column that punctuates Pine Concrete House pays poetic tribute to Paarl Rock, the gigantic granite outcrop looming in its background. “You’ll have to talk to my dad about the metaphors of this house,” says a smiling Johannes Berry, who co-founded Brussels-based architectural firm Sugiberry with his wife Mayu Takasugi in 2016.

Fortuitous as the architectural echo is, the concrete-and-wood residence’s design was informed by a set of logical principles that Johannes and Mayu work according to,rather than any visual reference.“We like to consider the potential in what already exists,” he explains. In the case of Pine Concrete House, what existed was the double-storey home of Johannes’s parents, Roland and Elmine. “The initial brief from them was to build a double garage – but like most projects, it grew,” says Johannes. “They’re getting older, and because of the size of their house, we proposed renovating it so it could ultimately be split into three self-contained parts – a top half, a bottom half and an extension – so they’d still be able to live there, but rent out the two other spaces.”

Although Johannes and Mayu initially had wood and canvas in mind as the predominant building materials for the extension, the area of land they had earmarked needed to be excavated. “It’s a bit of an engineering feat to build with wood underground because of the moisture, and we didn’t want to focus on technical statements,” says Mayu. “The decision to build with concrete is really what started the design. We asked: what is concrete? How do you make concrete? Okay, you need formwork. What is formwork? If you use wood to make formwork, what happens to it afterwards? Can you not reuse it? It’s a logic of being considerate and aware of things.”

Read the full story on this Paarl House.

Llandudno Home

There are 360 degrees. Why stick to one?” said the late architect Zaha Hadid – and this philosophy could well describe Mica and Marcel Angel’s Llandudno home. At its entrance, concrete slabs suspended over a body of water deliver you to a pair of angular, concrete planes that defy gravity as they slant casually skywards. The entrance is straddled by two linear concrete boxes, one of which is home to an outsized sculptural staircase that runs the full height of the double-volume space. It’s an astonishing first impression.

But then this home is designed to marry not just the disparate aesthetic predilections of its owners – an aspiring clinical psychologist and a racing driver – but also the splendour of its setting. Set on giant granite boulders between Llandudno and Sandy Bay, it was designed by M&B Architects’ Christo Botha in response to its spectacular surrounds. United by a passion for fast cars – and having worked together previously on commercial projects – Christo had a good idea of Marcel’s love for contemporary, modern architecture. However, his challenge lay in incorporating that with Mica’s preference for a more sculptural, eclectic, lived-in feel, as well as her brief for a space that could accommodate the five children (from 28 to 11 years old) they share between them. And of course, their three dogs, Sishi, Valentino and Paris.

Read the full story on this Llandudno home.

Salt Rock Home

It’s a great house to wake up in every morning, and a great house to dwell in,” says interior designer and artist Lisa Twyman of her home. “It makes you feel free, positive, motivated, excited.”

Lisa and husband Will Haynes fell in love with the plot situated in Salt Rock, on the Indian Ocean coastline north of Durban, because of its geography – so much so that the build became very much about the garden. “We did not want to impose on it or mess up the flow of it too much,” she says. “During the first few years that we lived here, any extra budget was spent on the garden and planting.”

The key principle for Lisa and Will was that the house needed to become a part of the landscape. This meant including elements such as a ground-floor living area that opens up completely to the outdoors, allowing the spaces to be opened or enclosed as required. This “blurred boundary” – as Lisa describes it – between interior and exterior is further enhanced by the fully open-plan nature of the living, dining and kitchen spaces, as well as the application of simple, low-maintenance materials such as unadorned off-shutter concrete, and the balau wood used for cladding and screening where necessary.

Read the full story on this Salt Rock home.

Contemporary Pretoria Home

Ever since they were a newlywed couple, Albert and Adéle Nieuwenhuys had been dreaming up a vision for their perfect home – a space with a sense of openness enveloped in raw concrete, steel and glass with generous expanses of double volume.

They found the perfect site in the heart of Pretoria – the first step to realising their dream – with the most incredible views across the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve. But it wasn’t until they met with architect André Eksteen from Earthworld Architects that they knew their vision would finally become reality. “At Earthworld Architects we believe that the architect’s primary role is that of mediator between people and the landscape they live in,” says André. “We were therefore incredibly excited by the owners’ challenging brief for this unique site, because we knew from the start it would require pushing creative boundaries.”

True to his word, the main design concept for the house is a complete contradiction in terms. “I wanted to preserve the site’s intimate connection with the nature reserve by designing the house as an airy, lightweight shelter that simply floats over the indigenous landscape – with the structure being nothing more than a protective shell that can adapt from day to day according to the needs of the family,” André explains.

Read the full story on this contemporary Pretoria home.

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The post 12 Concrete Homes Redefining Modern Living appeared first on Visi.

Exploring alternative manufacturing methods and the versatility of American red oak, Future Heirlooms 2024 presents new pieces by five South African design studios. 

In 2022 Always Welcome and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) joined forces to release Future Heirlooms – a first-of-its-kind sustainable collection created by seven South African designers.

Five South African cross-disciplinary design studios have been invited to craft a piece for the second iteration of this exciting project. The designers have been tasked with creating pieces that not only look forward to the future of sustainable design but also explore South Africa’s rich design legacy.

Using American red oak supplied by wholesale timber specialists BOS Timber, the theme invites the designers to conceive a piece that lasts for generations to come and is of a quality that makes it worth keeping, and of collectable value. The spirit of the challenge is to celebrate individuality, expressionism, quirkiness, and beauty in the design of the limited edition collectable piece.

“Building on the success of the launch edition of Future Heirlooms our 2024 challenge will offer our select African cross-disciplinary designers a unique opportunity to design a piece that explores alternative manufacturing methods, and the beauty and versatility of American red oak itself,” says Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director. 

The line-up of notable talent hand-picked to participate in Future Heirlooms 2024 includes:

MOEA Design Studio

Established in 2021 by Cassandra Twala and Johanna von Stein, MOEA set out to create a hybrid studio that not only works on commissioned work for clients but also creates its own platforms that elevate African creativity.

Juliet M Kavishe

Through her work interior architect and design educator Juliet M Kavishe explores African identity, heritage, and the integration of ancestral ways of communication, rooted in diverse cultural expressions.

André Eksteen

André Eksteen is a multi-award-winning architect and academic and co-director of Earthworld Architects who aims to push the boundaries of creativity while also maintaining a strong focus on sustainability. 

Isa-MBU-LA

Duo costume designer and Creative Director Bandile Mbuli and architect Ndabo Langa‘s collaboration – Isa-MBU-LA- is focused on creating a resilient and sustainable design by tapping into local ecosystems with high consideration for traditional practices and innovation.

Nkuli Nhleko

Nkuli Nhleko is an Art Curator at Everard Read Gallery and the co-founder of Imbewu Design, an Interior Design Studio. She specialises in crafting visually striking spaces that offer experiential and conceptually rich environments.

The finished pieces will first be seen as part of Sustainable Design Week Africa at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town from 9-14 September 2024. VISI is the proud media partner for Sustainable Design Week Africa.

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The revamped Belgian Embassy – housed in a former ambassador’s home – is a masterclass in subtly repurposing heritage buildings.

The recent renovation of the Belgian embassy in Pretoria, by Earthworld Architects and Inside Interiors, is a beautiful fusion of cultures, de ly combining historical and contemporary design while converting a heritage house into a modern office.

Having been used as the residence of the Belgian ambassador for more than half a century (with offices added at the back in the 1980s), the building was redesigned so that the Belgian embassy and the consulate could be housed in the same space.

Earthworld’s director Braam de Villiers says the original house – designed by Vivian Sydney Rees-Poole, who worked in Sir Herbert Baker’s office for a time, and went on to design Church Square and other local landmarks – dates back to 1929, and was steeped in local heritage. So Braam found himself taking an architecturally cautious and respectful approach, with an emphasis as much on preservation as on modernisation. The house was built by John Johnston Kirkness – a local luminary of sorts, who served as mayor of the city for a time – for his son, next to his own home, the landmark Kirkness House.

Quite significantly for the chosen architectural approach, Kirkness owned Groenkloof Brick Works, which produced the distinctive red bricks that were used extensively in and around Pretoria and further afield (including Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Hospital), and were simply referred to as Kirkness bricks. In fact, Baker used Kirkness pavers and planters at South Africa House in London.

As is often the case with heritage buildings, Braam says a large part of his task was first to strip away the accumulated add-ons that typically cluster onto them, and pare things back to their original shape. From there, he could rationalise and repurpose. In consultation with Belgian state architect Nicolas Houyoux, Braam devised a subtle intervention for Erik Pronk of CPM Projects to carry out, retaining historical details and finishes where possible, updating sustainability and tech requirements and, together with Earthworld colleague Laurika Brümmer, reinventing the interior spaces.

The timber window frames were removed, and replaced with double-glazed aluminium windows. These are sleek and minimalist, almost disappearing in the openings. “We chose not to use any mullions so we could accentuate the brickwork,” Braam explains. “Kirkness was a brickmaker, so we paid homage to the red brick.”

The original Oregon pine floors and clay pavers were all restored and kept in place. Where internal walls were removed, Earthworld commissioned handmade clay tiles from Southern Art Ceramics – one-third glazed and two-thirds rough, and precisely sized and inlaid, “so you have a bit of the old story of where the walls were,” says Braam.

The back of the house was opened up to let in natural light – “the building was very dark inside,” he says – and a “horrible courtyard” at the rear was formalised, covered and converted into a charming, light-filled, usable space. Braam points out that apart from these interventions (and carefully hiding the modern technology), the bulk of the renovation had to do with the interior design.

Laurika, too, was meticulous about preserving historical detailing. She discovered fi replaces, brass ironmongery and stained-glass windows, all of which were retained. Offices, meeting areas and conference rooms were separated with frameless glass, making for a sense of openness and light, and leaving lines of sight uninterrupted. She chose plain white for the walls to create a neutral canvas for what she calls an “eclectic mix” of Belgian and

South African design. After she had thoroughly researched contemporary Belgian design, pieces by the likes of Muller Van Severen, Vincent Van Duysen and Nortstudio were imported. These were combined with pieces by local stars such as Dokter and Misses, and Tonic Design. Other items, such as tables and carpets, were custom-designed for the spaces, and feature motifs picking up on the architectural arches that recur throughout the house. The bespoke lights were designed in collaboration with Eduard Claassen. Laurika says she introduced a bit of local flavour in the colours too, using dusty yellow, pink and blue-green to brighten up the interiors. A combination of Belgian and South African artworks continues the cultural dialogue. The final result is a rich, soulful space that is beautifully suited to its new purpose.

Looking for more on local architecture? Take a look at the Inoar Lifestyle Centre in Pretoria.

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The new Inoar Lifestyle Centre in Pretoria rejuvenates the mind and body with its tranquil spaces, striking sculptural forms and vibrant botanical elements.

Given the way we’re caught up in the demands of career, family and the rapid tempo of city living, time to pamper and revitalise the spirit is usually swallowed up in the melee. Hendrien Kruger, owner of Inoar Lifestyle Centre, recognised this challenge as a beckoning opportunity in disguise. “Our vision was for the centre to be more than just a destination where women get pampered,” she says. “We want it to be a haven that inspires, supports dreams and cultivates a sense of community.” Hendrien turned to award-winning architecture firm Earthworld Architects and Inside Interiors to transform her vision into a reality. Renowned for their skilful use of natural materials and exquisitely sculptural architecture, the architects’ design philosophy resonated immediately with the Inoar brand’s natural approach to beauty.

One step through the striking asymmetrical entrance gate transports the senses to the lush tropics of Brazil, where human structures interweave seamlessly with nature. A cheeky frangipani takes centre stage as it pokes its branches through a curvaceous, off-shutter concrete canopy, bejewelled with glittering mosaics to frame the intimate central courtyard space beyond.

“The design draws much of its inspiration from the Inoar brand itself, focusing on its Brazilian roots and its strong natural, botanical connection,” says architect André Eksteen. And the fact that Inoar is surrounded by schools, churches and office parks in the centrally located Nieuw Muckleneuk suburb of Pretoria was seen by the architects as an opportunity to strengthen and elevate the brand’s presence with a bold design.

In the spirit of beauty and revitalisation, the original structures were repurposed with a dramatic new look into three distinctive yet interconnected spaces – a reception and retail area, a fully serviced coffee shop, and a beauty and treatment salon. Overhead, the sculptural concrete canopy floats across the courtyard and wraps around the salon to create a singular, unified space.

An essential part of the botanical theme was the retention of all existing trees on the premises, which guided the look and feel of the design. Huge circular cutouts were punched through existing walls to allow more natural light into the interior spaces, while also creating beautifully framed views of the landscaped gardens beyond.

Inside, the sweeping lines create an elegant backdrop for the richly appointed interiors. The furniture and fittings were all designed for Inoar by Earthworld Architects and Inside Interiors, who worked with local manufacturers to achieve the intricate finishes. Luxurious textures and materials were chosen to imbue a sense of permanence. “Classic materials such as marble, brass, wood and granite were used in their most natural form to create a timeless look,” André says.

The architects purposefully steered clear of the clinical stereotype typically associated with beauty salons, opting rather for bold, sculptural forms, luxurious textures, and flora-inspired colours that focus the senses on beauty and pampering. While the immaculate attention to detail showcases the architects’ ability to excel at their craft, it is the subtle hints at playfulness that ultimately transform this design into a true masterpiece.

Looking for more on local architecture,  decor and design? Take a look at the Always Welcome Store in Hyde Park.

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Ever wondered who (and what) inspires our current generation of architects? For Pretoria-based architects André Eksteen and Braam de Villiers, the muse presents itself through history and technology, materials and craftsmanship – and visionaries like the late Louis Khan.

While Braam de Villiers and André Eksteen That’s not to say that there wasn’t also a wealth were earning their degrees at the University of Pretoria’s Department of Architecture in the mid-1990s, the concept of sustainable architecture was virtually unheard of. Yet André vividly remembers one of their lecturers, Dr Dieter Holm, insisting that his students heed the warnings of the environmental NGO Club of Rome, whose now- famous “The Limits To Growth” report (published in 1972) predicted that economic growth couldn’t continue indefinitely due to Earth’s finite resources.

“The 1980s saw the rise of mass-production drafting, where theme parks and malls became the norm in Pretoria,” recalls André. “Developers were counting their cents, and the buildings were not designed to last for decades. Most of them have been redeveloped or demolished.”

That’s not to say that there wasn’t also a wealth of architectural inspiration to be found in P-town for André and Braam, who cite Brazilian-inspired government structures such as the TPA building, as well as residential architect Peter Hattingh’s Goff and Wright-inspired organic architecture, along with PP van den Berg’s innovative work with found objects, as hugely influential. “You realise the impact of these buildings only later in your career, when you get to understand the complexity involved in designing and erecting buildings that fall outside the generally accepted norms,” says André.

During their studies, André and Braam became drawn to the works of Late Modernism architects, including Tadao Ando, John Lautner, Renzo Piano and Richard Meier. “I like to refer to them as the ‘Materialists’ – the golden thread being craftsmanship, detailing and a thorough exploration of technology,” says André. The teachings of Modernist American architect Louis Kahn, known for his monumental scale and expressive use of building materials, also made a lasting impact on André and Braam’s design approach.

Almost 30 years – and many awards – after founding Earthworld Architects, André and Braam are still fighting the good fight in Pretoria: creating meaningful spaces while treading lightly. Highlights have included the Stortemelk Hydro power plant with its façade of jauntily arranged, oxidised-steel rectangles, and the I-Cat Eco Factory with its curved Brutalist-esque brickwork. “Finding a balance between new manufacturing technology and the traditional is key to sustainability in our industry,” says André. “As a result, we work a lot with how we can integrate new modes of manufacturing with a more traditional and sometimes unskilled labour base.”

Perhaps the best expression of this philosophy can be found in the Future Africa innovation campus at the University of Pretoria, which has earned a raft of accolades, the most recent being the International Urban Project Award 2020. Comprising a main building, a conference centre, housing units, a common area- slash-dining hall and an edible landscape, the brief to Earthworld was to create an environment that, once you resided there, would make you think differently. “We created prefabricated, digitally manufactured components that were then hand-assembled on site,” says André. “We utilised digital manufacturing concepts, but designed in such a way that it required the human hand to complete the process. It’s a synthesis of almost three decades of experience – and a base for new things to come.”

Looking for more architectural inspiration? Check out this Midrand family home designed by Earthworld Architects.

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Two striking new buildings at the University of Pretoria manage to both blend into the rest of the campus and make bold design statements.

FUTURE AFRICA CAMPUS by André Eksteen of Earthworld Architects

On a continent that features a vast diversity of cultures and areas of study, the diaspora of African academics has left scientists isolated. This project aims to change that, and instead foster fellowship and collaboration. The brief called for an integrated living/working environment for post-doctorate students from all cultures and backgrounds, with a design that facilitates and enhances trans-disciplinary research within the African context.

The design of Future Africa can be read through levels of permanence: primary forms of concrete and masonry, followed by secondary structures of steel, and finally the lightest tertiary layer created extensively from timber. This internal skin allows for future adaptability of the space. Plywood and laminated veneer were digitally “converted” into puzzle pieces, brought to site and hand-assembled by unskilled labour, which allowed for alternative, more inclusive contracting.

There is so much detail in the integrated design, which includes furniture such as bookcases that offer semi-private areas within the otherwise very open space. Visual connectedness was a strong driver in the decision to have split levels, so all the floors have a relationship with one another. The success of the building is experienced as this connectedness, which extends to the outdoors and the evolving edible garden.

JAVETT ART CENTRE by Pieter Mathews of Mathews & Associates Architects

A public arts centre on a university campus that spans a public road, Javett Art Centre’s design is dominated by a bridge that stitches the two campuses together. It comprises nine impressive gallery spaces: two that house the seed donor’s collection, two learning galleries earmarked for students, and five others for rotating curated exhibitions. A faceted concrete vault is the structure’s standout feature, and contains South Africa’s crown jewels, the Mapungubwe Collection, with the golden rhino as the star attraction.

To fit into its context, the building had to respond to various conditions. “The aim was to create a new building without bling that sits comfortably within the constraints of the various existing buildings,” explains architect Pieter Mathews. It had to appear as if it had always been part of the campus landscape, and to age well. To achieve this, a neutral grey palette was created with honest materials such as galvanised steel, concrete and brick. In addition to the bridge, the canopies are a unique feature and a popular Instagram composition. Constructed from lightweight concrete, the fibre panels tell the narrative of Shweshwe cloth. By placing a gallery on the bridge, art and architecture serve to embrace the city and its inhabitants.

See more projects by Earthworld Architects at ewarch.co.za and Mathews & Associates Architects at maaa.co.za.

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With a bushveld backyard and the bustling Pretoria skyline as its backdrop, this ultramodern family home balances setting and structure with elegant simplicity.

Ever since they were a newlywed couple, Albert and Adéle Nieuwenhuys had been dreaming up a vision for their perfect home – a space with a sense of openness enveloped in raw concrete, steel and glass with generous expanses of double volume.

The frameless spider glass curtain wall blurs the edges between inside and outside as one approaches the entrance, by casting reflections of the tranquility pond and garden onto the interior.

They found the perfect site in the heart of Pretoria – the first step to realising their dream – with the most incredible views across the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve. But it wasn’t until they met with architect André Eksteen from Earthworld Architects that they knew their vision would finally become reality. “At Earthworld Architects we believe that the architect’s primary role is that of mediator between people and the landscape they live in,” says André. “We were therefore incredibly excited by the owners’ challenging brief for this unique site, because we knew from the start it would require pushing creative boundaries.”

True to his word, the main design concept for the house is a complete contradiction in terms. “I wanted to preserve the site’s intimate connection with the nature reserve by designing the house as an airy, lightweight shelter that simply floats over the indigenous landscape – with the structure being nothing more than a protective shell that can adapt from day to day according to the needs of the family,” André explains.

Even though concrete is usually perceived as a heavy, solid structure, the series of slim, interlocking concrete boxes seem to glide weightlessly over the earth. As one steps across a floating concrete bridge to approach the front door, it is evident that the central design theme of lightness and openness is carried throughout the entire house. The glazed curtain walls all move and open up, allowing inside space to become a seamless part of the outdoors. “Because the site is not very big, I wanted the exterior spaces to become additional living rooms – activating the entire site as dwelling space,” André explains.

Apart from satisfying the aesthetic senses, the dramatic double-volume spaces with high-level clerestory windows and deep overhangs have an important function. The house’s main façade faces west to maximise the views, requiring the design team to perform extensive sun and climate control studies to get the shading of the house right. Inside, there is interconnectedness between the multiple level spaces, accentuated by the natural beauty of concrete, steel, glass and oak. The crisp and clean-cut interior style combines raw, textured and flamed finishes to provide sensual variety.

Adéle’s favourite place is the kitchen:“I love the sleek industrial lines, but mostly it’s being part of everything else that’s going on in the house – whether it’s the boys playing in the pool, the game that’s on in the living room or the occasional zebra walking past,” she laughs. Finding balance between complexity and simplicity, architectural mastery and family homecoming, it comes as no surprise that the house received a South African Institute of Architects award in 2017.

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A family home in Waterfall Estate, Midrand, transforms the space around it as much as it creates an uplifting experience inside.

André Eksteen of Earthworld Architects believes in skyhooks. He loves designing buildings, or at least parts of them, roofs especially, that seem to float. But just as much as he goes to great lengths to create a sense of weightlessness in his designs, he also believes that buildings should be rooted in their context.

And so it was with this family home he designed for Chris and Annelien Coertse and their five-year-old daughter Heidi in Waterfall Estate, Midrand, Johannesburg.

Chris and Annelien had a well-positioned stand on a green belt in the estate. The sweeping landscape around it seemed to call for an open design – a blurring of the boundaries between the end of the Coertses’ garden and the grassland beyond. At the same time its prominent position demanded privacy. Chris and Annelien’s living requirements were fairly straightforward: three bedrooms, various living areas and a flat for Chris’s father.

Besides Earthworld Architects’ expertise in sustainable and efficient design, another reason Chris approached André was the fact that Earthworld appeared not to have a signature style. “All their projects are quite different, and I liked most of them,” says Chris.

So it was with a fairly open brief that André envisioned the house as what he calls “two floating islands suspended above a plane”. The elegant curved islands, “raised, almost like tree houses”, contain the bedrooms upstairs. Almost-invisible glass boxes housing the living areas below function as the plane.

For privacy, the balconies of the upstairs rooms have folding screens that can be drawn across the facade. The screens are perforated with an abstract pattern inspired by the nearby tree-scape: “If you’re inside, you can still see out, but people on the outside can’t see in,” says André.

“In the early morning and late afternoon you get a beautiful play of light through the screens,” adds Chris.

The glass boxes below – and even the roof gardens off the bedrooms upstairs – are carefully configured to enhance the inside-outside relationship and further anchor the house to the site. On the south side of the house, the steeply pitched roof swoops down to the ground – at the top is a row of windows that let in soft natural light.

In fact, along with an emphasis on quality and precision, one of the defining features of the house is the way its angles and volumes offer a dynamic, multidimensional experience of the space – it can seem almost like religious architecture. André says he likes to articulate the roofline clearly in his designs. “A roof is a floating plane between heaven and earth,” he says.

The Coertses lived in Finland for some time, where they developed an appreciation for minimalist yet cosy Scandinavian design. This is why interior designer Kristen Page chose to use a beautiful blond wood like ash, combined with a minimal palette and simple furnishings. From the street, the Coertses’ home imparts a sense of place. “I like that it draws the eye in immediately,” says Chris, “but once you’re inside it’s calming.”

Between the sense of weightlessness and the experience of light and volume, its interiors also bring a transformative significance to everyday life: something to lift its lucky inhabitants a little closer to heaven.

Looking for more architectural inspiration? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here, or take a look at this contemporary holiday home in Scarborough.

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A flair for the unexpected and an abiding love of coffee have inspired the owner of this business to combine his passions in one striking workspace.

On a compact tract of land opposite the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg, stands an unconventional structure in the midst of what is essentially a neglected light industrial area.

Constructed out of used shipping containers, artfully stacked like Lego blocks, the home of the Foghound Interactive Coffee Company and Foghound Studios is a striking space that has become something of a landmark in the area.

Foghound MD Neil Symon – a coffee fanatic since the age of 14 and a 20-year media industry veteran – had a vision of a showroom and coffee shop that would epitomise the tradition of coffee-making culture while demonstrating a clear need to conserve the environment.

“I love experimenting, I love creating, and I love doing different things, from creating TV commercials to creating coffee blends,” Neil says. “It’s a way of creative expression. It’s the same with the new building. We used the very containers in which our coffee products had been shipped to South Africa from around the world to build the structure. We are aware of our carbon footprint on the planet, and this has meant finding creative solutions to keep the old shipping containers out of the waste dumps.”

Conceived and designed by Earthworld Architects, the eight-container structure comprises a showroom upstairs for the Sprada, Franke and Espresto coffee machine brands that Foghound represents locally, and an 80-seater coffee shop and café, complete with European-style counter seating and an outdoor courtyard, downstairs.

Leading to the showroom, sales offices and boardroom on the first floor is a striking glassed-in staircase with stairs made of reclaimed Oregon pine – a talking point in itself. As is the fully plumbed toilet space constructed from a vertically placed container and serviced with solar-heated water.

Braam de Villiers from Earthworld Architects says the containers were placed in such a way as to minimise having to cut them up. “The two containers that form the showroom on the first floor are placed and cantilevered from the ground-floor containers to form the coffee shop below. Clerestory windows fill the gaps between the two first-storey containers and allow in sunlight.”

In order for the containers to be perceived as the heroes of the structure, the interior finishing was kept to a minimum. “The materials were carefully chosen to create an ambiance that matches the functionality of the two spaces,” says Braam. The coffee shop has a raw concrete floor and a reclaimed timber ceiling, whereas the coffee-machine showroom and offices upstairs feature laser-cut steel and clean lines for a streamlined, high-tech look.

Structural detail aside, it is Neil’s deep love of quirky collectables – a passion he indulges by travelling the world in search of pieces that capture his imagination – that give the coffee shop its distinctive character. “The coffee bar in the studio building is a 1960s Boeing 747 engine cowl. It’s a work of art!” exclaims Neil.

And the chairs are all reclaimed, many from France. Old drive-in-theatre speakers form the sound system and patrons can adjust the volume to their liking by twisting the knobs on the speakers at each table.

“I’m an antique collector and a lover of all things retro and collectable,” says Neil. “This theme runs through the café. I have 20 people a day just walking in from Gallagher Estate and asking to see the space and find out more about it. The way I see it, container buildings might just be the way of the future. Maybe we’ve started a new trend.”

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