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MARRYING SANDSTONE CLIFF AND RIVERINE FOREST
house of the big arch occupies a unique place in a nature reserve situated in the waterberg mountains of south africa; a landscape of remarkable plants, inspiring cliffs, and prodigious wildlife
THE BRIEF
a home that disappears into the landscape; that sits amongst the rocks and trees and birds; that offers animals and plants and humans equal opportunity to find shelter; that treats the bushveld with its deserved respect
a home that disappears into the landscape; that sits amongst the rocks and trees and birds; that offers animals and plants and humans equal opportunity to find shelter; that treats the bushveld with its deserved respect
the building makes use of a very simple set of materials which all play their part in making the building part of its landscape the most abundant material is a rough stock brick which was selected to match the site’s weathered sandstonethe ‘bridge’ portions of the building are constructed from sustainably-grown timbers,whilst glass and aluminium fill in the non-structural wallsthe roof is predominantly a living roof planted with endemic grasses, succulents and shrubs
the first floor offers to its inhabitants a planted courtyard, a reclusive lounge, a sunlit dining room, a farmhouse kitchen and scullery, a tree-shaded deck, a small pool and a fireplace – around which most of the cooking and living occursthe ground floor provides yet more courtyards, a study, library and a small swing bench under the archthe cellar creates a climate conducive to curing meats, storing food supplies and ageing winesthe roof is predominantly a living roof planted with endemic grasses, succulents and shrubs
we cannot ever divide architecture, landscape and gardening; they are one
