By Rami Moorosi, Project Consultant Cherise Haskins, Photograpy David Ross
When the owners of this impressive home approached architects from Nico van der Meulen Architects, their brief was simple: “to design a stunning, cutting-edge, contemporary home”.
The only absolute requirement was that it had to be visually extraordinary with an indoor swimming pool. The relaxed attitude of the client and the large site
(10 000m²) provided the architects with a golden opportunity to explore the home three-dimensionally with advanced 3D computer software, and fuse the programmatic requirements into the 3D model. The outcome was a design where form meets function.
Enhancing this awe-inspiring structure are the incorporation of sun-orientation, circulation, open-plan living areas, view orientation and privacy. Rudolph van der Meulen, from Nico van der Meulen Architects, explains: “The visual result is a design where the three-dimensionality of the building is celebrated with intersecting planes of steel and glass ‘hovering’ above the solid elements of concrete and plastered brick.
Aluminium louvres are used for sun control and privacy, while they create depth through layering. The ground floor was purposely lifted above the landscape to improve the views of the garden, and to create level differences in the ground floor plane. The main bedroom cantilevers over angled concrete columns and reinforces the ‘hovering idea’.
The layout centres around the double volume living and dining area. The dining area is placed on a platform to enhance the views towards the garden.
The kitchen is more private while at the same time not entirely enclosed (it is open-plan, leading to the indoor pool area). The indoor pool and living area is enclosed with stacking frameless glass doors which gives the inhabitants the opportunity to completely open up the space. Drinks can be conveniently served directly to the pool via an in-water pool bar.
The first floor is split with the children’s bedrooms on the one side, and the main bedroom on the other. The main bedroom has a small private lounge area and is open plan to the bathroom. Exterior louvres give privacy for the floor-to-ceiling glass showers.
With the exception of the home theatre and the second guest room, which was added later, all rooms are north facing. Even the kitchen that is located behind the indoor pool receives direct sunlight from the high windows set in the angled roof.
The interior design team from M Square Lifestyle Design ensured that finishes and fittings accentuated the architecture of the home. All fittings were specifically designed and made to suit the architecture of the house. “The interior reflects the exterior with intersecting planes creating points of interest. The exposed steel roof trusses, steel I-beams, and the bent steel staircase tie the interior with the exterior and refer to the quasi-industrial aesthetic of the home,” explains Phia van der Meulen of M Square Lifestyle Design.
“The colour palette was purposefully monochromatic with accents of red. This is drawn from the external finish specification set out by the architect. The idea was to create a holistic edifice, where the boundaries from inside to out are diffused,” adds Phia.
Some of the materials used included polyurethane flooring, mild steel found in its raw and powder-coated state, natural ash timber veneers and a sandstone gabion wall which adds texture and is considered as a focal feature of the home. The look was completed with contemporary furniture supplied by M Square Lifestyle Necessities.
The ingenuity of this home lies in the manner in which aesthetics and functionality come together. It meets the owners’ requirements for a stunning cutting-edge design, while fulfilling the lifestyle requirements of a modern South African family.
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